Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode, between which plasma of a process gas is generated to perform plasma etching on a wafer W. The apparatus further comprises a cooling ring disposed around the wafer, a correction ring disposed around the cooling ring, and a variable DC power supply directly connected to the correction ring, the DC voltage being preset to provide the correction ring with a negative bias, relative to ground potential, for attracting ions in the plasma and to increase temperature of the correction ring to compensate for a decrease in temperature of a space near the edge of the target substrate due to the cooling ring.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a pixel chip where a pixel unit and a vertical selecting unit are arranged, the pixel unit including plural pixels that are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to generate and output imaging signals; a transmission chip where at least a power source unit and a transmission unit are arranged; plural capacitative chips, each capacitative chip having capacitance functioning as a bypass condenser for a power source in the power source unit; and plural connecting portions configured to electrically connect the pixel chip, the transmission chip, and the capacitative chip respectively to another chip. The transmission chip is layered and connected at a back surface side of the pixel chip. The capacitative chips are layered and connected at a back surface side of the transmission chip. The connecting portions are arranged so as to overlap one another.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode for supporting a wafer disposed opposite each other within a process chamber. A first RF power supply configured to apply a first RF power having a relatively higher frequency, and a second RF power supply configured to apply a second RF power having a relatively lower frequency is connected to the lower electrode. A variable DC power supply is connected to the upper electrode. A process gas is supplied into the process chamber to generate plasma of the process gas so as to perform plasma etching.

Abstract: A fixing device has a fixing member, a cleaning roller, and a web, a first drive mechanism, a rotation drive unit, and a control unit. The first drive mechanism moves the cleaning roller to abut on or separate from the fixing member. The rotation drive unit can rotatingly drive the cleaning roller when the cleaning roller separates from the fixing member. The control unit performs control such that, in a case where a cleaning mode for cleaning the cleaning roller using the web is selected, the cleaning roller moves to separate from the fixing member and is rotatingly driven, and the web abuts on the cleaning roller, in order to clean the cleaning roller.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first chip including a light receiving unit, and a read circuit; a second chip including a timing control circuit, an A/D conversion circuit, and a cable transmission circuit; and a connection unit configured to connect the first and the second chips. The read circuit includes a column read circuit and a horizontal selection circuit, and a vertical selection circuit. The connection unit of the first chip is provided in a first area along a side of the rectangular light receiving unit, and in a second area adjacent to the column read circuit, the horizontal selection circuit, and the vertical selection circuit. The connection unit of the second chip is provided in a third area around the timing control circuit, the A/D conversion circuit, and the cable transmission circuit and in a fourth area adjacent to the timing control circuit and the A/D conversion circuit.

Abstract: A fixing device has a fixing member, a cleaning roller, and a web, a first drive mechanism, a rotation drive unit, and a control unit. The first drive mechanism moves the cleaning roller to abut on or separate from the fixing member. The rotation drive unit can rotatingly drive the cleaning roller when the cleaning roller separates from the fixing member. The control unit performs control such that, in a case where a cleaning mode for cleaning the cleaning roller using the web is selected, the cleaning roller moves to separate from the fixing member and is rotatingly driven, and the web abuts on the cleaning roller, in order to clean the cleaning roller.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a pixel chip where a pixel unit and a vertical selecting unit are arranged, the pixel unit including plural pixels that are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to generate and output imaging signals; a transmission chip where at least a power source unit and a transmission unit are arranged; plural capacitative chips, each capacitative chip having capacitance functioning as a bypass condenser for a power source in the power source unit; and plural connecting portions configured to electrically connect the pixel chip, the transmission chip, and the capacitative chip respectively to another chip. The transmission chip is layered and connected at a back surface side of the pixel chip. The capacitative chips are layered and connected at a back surface side of the transmission chip. The connecting portions are arranged so as to overlap one another.

Abstract: The present invention provides an in-vehicle device control method and an in-vehicle control device capable of suppressing radiation noise occurring at the time of simultaneously driving a plurality of loads to activate a plurality of in-vehicle devices, respectively, without providing a noise suppression component newly. In a motor drive controller 25 that controls driving of two motors 27a and 27b for retractors to activate two retractors 26a and 26b for seat belts, respectively, when the two motors for the retractors are simultaneously driven, a phase difference ? is provided for two drive frequency waveforms 40a and 40b corresponding to the two motors.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a photoelectric conversion film includes a plurality of semiconductor nanoparticles and a matrix phase provided around each of the plurality of semiconductor nanoparticles. The matrix phase includes a principal phase including a composite, which includes an organic molecule polymer and an inorganic material. A photoelectric conversion device includes a transparent electrically conductive film, a photoelectric conversion layer, a semiconductor substrate, and an electrode layer, which are layered on a glass substrate in this order. The photoelectric conversion layer includes the photoelectric conversion film.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: an evacuable processing chamber including a dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit, provided in the processing chamber, for mounting thereon a target substrate; a processing gas supply unit for supplying a desired processing gas to the processing chamber to perform a plasma process on the target substrate; a first RF antenna, provided on the dielectric window, for generating a plasma by an inductive coupling in the processing chamber; and a first RF power supply unit for supplying an RF power to the first RF antenna. The first RF antenna includes a primary coil provided on or above the dielectric window and electrically connected to the first RF power supply unit; and a secondary coil provided such that the coils are coupled with each other by an electromagnetic induction therebetween while being arranged closer to a bottom surface of the dielectric window than the primary coil.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first chip including a light receiving unit, and a read circuit; a second chip including a timing control circuit, an A/D conversion circuit, and a cable transmission circuit; and a connection unit configured to connect the first and the second chips. The read circuit includes a column read circuit and a horizontal selection circuit, and a vertical selection circuit. The connection unit of the first chip is provided in a first area along a side of the rectangular light receiving unit, and in a second area adjacent to the column read circuit, the horizontal selection circuit, and the vertical selection circuit. The connection unit of the second chip is provided in a third area around the timing control circuit, the A/D conversion circuit, and the cable transmission circuit and in a fourth area adjacent to the timing control circuit and the A/D conversion circuit.

Abstract: A first fixed filter extracts high-frequency and low-frequency sound signals outside the audible band, and a level integrator integrates levels of the sound signals to obtain a first integrated value. With a second fixed filter, the level integrator integrates levels of sound signals in a low frequency band within the audible band to obtain a second integrated value. A control unit determines whether the high-frequency sound signals are dominant by comparing the first integrated value with the second integrated value. When the high-frequency sound signals are dominant, the control unit attenuates high-frequency speaker drive signals using a variable filter.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: an evacuable processing chamber including a dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit, provided in the processing chamber, for mounting thereon a target substrate; a processing gas supply unit for supplying a desired processing gas to the processing chamber to perform a plasma process on the target substrate; a first RF antenna, provided on the dielectric window, for generating a plasma by an inductive coupling in the processing chamber; and a first RF power supply unit for supplying an RF power to the first RF antenna. The first RF antenna includes a primary coil provided on or above the dielectric window and electrically connected to the first RF power supply unit; and a secondary coil provided such that the coils are coupled with each other by an electromagnetic induction therebetween while being arranged closer to a bottom surface of the dielectric window than the primary coil.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber including a dielectric window; a coil-shaped RF antenna, provided outside the dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit provided in the processing chamber; a processing gas supply unit; an RF power supply unit for supplying an RF power to the RF antenna to generate a plasma of the processing gas by an inductive coupling in the processing chamber, the RF power having an appropriate frequency for RF discharge of the processing gas; a correction coil, provided at a position outside the processing chamber where the correction coil is to be coupled with the RF antenna by an electromagnetic induction, for controlling a plasma density distribution on the substrate in the processing chamber; a switching device provided in a loop of the correction coil; and a switching control unit for on-off controlling the switching device at a desired duty ratio by pulse width modulation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an operating state and a non-operating state with power consumption smaller than in the operating state. The image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device for thermally fixing a toner image on a print material; an execution unit for executing warm-up to heat the fixing device up to a printable temperature for fixing the toner image on the print material, upon power-on or in shifting from the non-operating state to the operating state; and a temperature control unit for maintaining a waiting state to keep the fixing device at the printable temperature or higher, after completion of warm-up or printing. The temperature control unit increases the temperature of the fixing device higher in a waiting state after printing a predetermined number of times since power-on or in a waiting state after the non-operating state for a predetermined time or longer, than in any other waiting state.

Abstract: A first fixed filter extracts high-frequency and low-frequency sound signals outside the audible band, and a level integrator integrates levels of the sound signals to obtain a first integrated value. With a second fixed filter, the level integrator integrates levels of sound signals in a low frequency band within the audible band to obtain a second integrated value. A control unit determines whether the high-frequency sound signals are dominant by comparing the first integrated value with the second integrated value. When the high-frequency sound signals are dominant, the control unit attenuates high-frequency speaker drive signals using a variable filter.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber including a dielectric window; a coil-shaped RF antenna, provided outside the dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit provided in the processing chamber; a processing gas supply unit; an RF power supply unit for supplying an RF power to the RF antenna to generate a plasma of the processing gas by an inductive coupling in the processing chamber, the RF power having an appropriate frequency for RF discharge of the processing gas; a correction coil, provided at a position outside the processing chamber where the correction coil is to be coupled with the RF antenna by an electromagnetic induction, for controlling a plasma density distribution on the substrate in the processing chamber; a switching device provided in a loop of the correction coil; and a switching control unit for on-off controlling the switching device at a desired duty ratio by pulse width modulation.

Abstract: In an imaging device, a pixel signal processing circuit outputs an imaging signal based on a pixel signal. A level shift circuit shifts a first level of the imaging signal in a direction in which the first level is away from a second level of a reference signal or shifts the second level in a direction in which the second level is away from the first level. A signal output terminal outputs the reference signal and the imaging signal, the first level of which is shifted, to an imaging signal processing circuit or outputs the reference signal the second level of which is shifted, and the imaging signal. The imaging signal processing circuit calculates a difference between the reference signal and the imaging signal output from the signal output terminal.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing side member; a fixing belt; a back side supporting member configured to form a fixing nip for conveying the recording medium in a tightly sandwiching manner; a heating roller configured to heat the fixing belt from inside; a first movement section configured to move the fixing side member between a first pressure contact position where the fixing side member is brought into pressure contact with the back side supporting member with the fixing belt therebetween, and a second pressure contact position where the fixing side member is brought into pressure contact with the heating roller; and a control section configured to control the first movement section to move the fixing side member to the first pressure contact position in a printing operation, and move the fixing side member to the second pressure contact position when the printing operation is not performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an operating state and a non-operating state with power consumption smaller than in the operating state. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a print material by heat, a fan for discharging heat from the image forming apparatus, and a control unit for controlling operation of the fan. When a non-operating time from shifting to the non-operating state to shifting to the operating state is shorter than a predetermined time, the control unit allows the fan to operate with predetermined power in the operating state. When the non-operating time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the control unit stops the fan or allows the fan to operate with power smaller than the predetermined power in the operating state.