Abstract: A final polishing method using a polishing agent that contains colloidal silica, ammonia, and hydroxyethyl cellulose in which the colloidal silica has a primary particle size of 20 nm or more and less than 30 nm, the hydroxyethyl cellulose has a weight average molecular weight of 400,000 to 700,000, and the polishing agent satisfies 1.5?D1/D2?2.5 where D1 is a particle size having a cumulative volume percentage of 95% of particles contained in the polishing agent, and D2 is a particle size having a cumulative volume percentage of 95% of the colloidal silica in case of dispersing the colloidal silica in water with a concentration identical to a colloidal silica concentration in the polishing agent, and using a polishing pad that exhibits a contact angle of 60° or more 100 seconds after dropping pure water to the polishing pad that has been subjected to seasoning and then dried.

Abstract: Provided is a polishing pad capable of sufficiently reducing minute defects to be generated after polishing on a workpiece which are detected in measurement for a particle size of 26 nm or smaller and capable of providing the workpiece with excellent surface flatness. The polishing pad includes a polishing layer having a polishing surface to polish a workpiece, and includes, in the side opposite to the polishing surface of the polishing layer, an intermediate layer having an amount of deformation C larger than that of the polishing layer, a hard layer having an amount of deformation C smaller than that of the polishing layer, and a cushion layer having an amount of deformation C larger than that of the intermediate layer, in which each of the amounts of deformations C is defined as an amount of deformation in the case of compression in a thickness direction, and the intermediate layer, the hard layer, and the cushion layer are laminated in this order from the side of the polishing layer.

Abstract: A dressing apparatus for dressing a urethane foam pad, for use in polishing, by bringing diamond abrasive grains into sliding contact with the urethane foam pad, includes a support for holding the grains. The grains have multiple grit sizes, and include a high-grit diamond abrasive grain with a grit size of #170 or more and a low-grit diamond abrasive grain with a grit size of #140 or less. The grains are held by the support such that height positions of dressing surfaces of the grains are on the same plane. The dressing surfaces come into contact with the urethane foam pad. As a result, a dressing apparatus is capable of sufficiently roughening the surface of the urethane foam pad by one-time dressing without closing holes of the foaming part of the urethane foam pad, enabling short dressing time, long dressing interval, and inhibition of lowering of productivity.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a template assembly configured to hold a workpiece in polishing of the workpiece, including: a PET base; an annular template adhering to an outer circumferential portion of a lower surface of the PET base, the template having an annular notch formed at an upper portion of an inner surface of the template; and a discoid backing pad whose peripheral portion is fitted into the notch, the backing pad adhering to a central portion of the lower surface of the PET base, wherein a recess configured to receive and hold the workpiece during polishing is defined by the inner surface of the template and a lower surface of the backing pad. This template assembly can reduce in-plane variation in depth of the recess and thereby improve flatness of a polished workpiece while inhibiting the occurrence of a scratch and a defect of the workpiece.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer having sag formed at an outer periphery at the time of polishing, wherein a displacement of the semiconductor wafer in a thickness direction is 100 nm or less between a center and a outer peripheral sag start position of the semiconductor wafer, and the center of the semiconductor wafer has a convex shape, an amount of outer peripheral sag of the semiconductor wafer is 100 nm or less, and the outer peripheral sag start position is away from an outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer toward the center or 20 mm or more away from an outer peripheral end of the semiconductor wafer toward the center, the outer peripheral portion being a measurement target of ESFQR.

Abstract: A lithium-ion battery includes: a power generation element having a structure where a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked with a separator interposed therebetween; a positive-electrode current collector connected to the positive electrode; a negative-electrode current collector connected to the negative electrode; a shrink tube bundling the power generation element, the positive-electrode current collector, and the negative-electrode current collector together; a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a battery case housing the power generation element, the positive-electrode current collector, the negative-electrode current collector, the shrink tube, and the non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive-electrode current collector and the negative-electrode current collector are fixed to the battery case, and the shrink tube is a seamless tube.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer having sag formed at an outer periphery at the time of polishing, wherein a displacement of the semiconductor wafer in a thickness direction is 100 nm or less between a center and a outer peripheral sag start position of the semiconductor wafer, and the center of the semiconductor wafer has a convex shape, an amount of outer peripheral sag of the semiconductor wafer is 100 nm or less, and the outer peripheral sag start position is away from an outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer toward the center or 20 mm or more away from an outer peripheral end of the semiconductor wafer toward the center, the outer peripheral portion being a measurement target of ESFQR.

Abstract: A system for conditioning an alkaline etching solution for reducing contamination in a silicon wafer etching process. The system includes a conditioning tank for mixing a conditioned alkaline etching solution, the conditioned alkaline etching solution including a conditioning chemical; a conditioning chemical introduction system configured to add the conditioning chemical to the conditioning tank; and a buffer tank for storing the conditioned basic etching solution before using the conditioned alkaline etching solution in an etching process.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring wafers between wafer holders such as wafer cassettes, etching drums and the like includes a tank for containing a liquid transfer medium in which the wafers can be transferred. The apparatus includes a wafer transfer unit that can transfer a plurality of wafers such as semiconductor wafers between wafer holders, and maintain the wafers in a desired relative orientation during transfer. For example, the wafers can be maintained in a parallel relationship. The apparatus can be used to automatically transfer wafers to etching drums without cross-indexing of the wafers and without manual handling of the wafers.

Abstract: A system for conditioning an alkaline etching solution for reducing contamination in a silicon wafer etching process. The system includes a conditioning tank for mixing a conditioned alkaline etching solution, the conditioned alkaline etching solution including a conditioning chemical; a conditioning chemical introduction system configured to add the conditioning chemical to the conditioning tank; and a buffer tank for storing the conditioned basic etching solution before using the conditioned alkaline etching solution in an etching process.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring wafers between wafer holders such as wafer cassettes, etching drums and the like includes a tank for containing a liquid transfer medium in which the wafers can be transferred. The apparatus includes a wafer transfer unit that can transfer a plurality of wafers such as semiconductor wafers between wafer holders, and maintain the wafers in a desired relative orientation during transfer. For example, the wafers can be maintained in a parallel relationship. The apparatus can be used to automatically transfer wafers to etching drums without cross-indexing of the wafers and without manual handling of the wafers.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring wafers between wafer holders such as wafer cassettes, etching drums and the like includes a tank for containing a liquid transfer medium in which the wafers can be transferred. The apparatus includes a wafer transfer unit that can transfer a plurality of wafers such as semiconductor wafers between wafer holders, and maintain the wafers in a desired relative orientation during transfer. For example, the wafers can be maintained in a parallel relationship. The apparatus can be used to automatically transfer wafers to etching drums without cross-indexing of the wafers and without manual handling of the wafers.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring wafers between wafer holders such as wafer cassettes, etching drums and the like includes a tank for containing a liquid transfer medium in which the wafers can be transferred. The apparatus includes a wafer transfer unit that can transfer a plurality of wafers such as semiconductor wafers between wafer holders, and maintain the wafers in a desired relative orientation during transfer. For example, the wafers can be maintained in a parallel relationship. The apparatus can be used to automatically transfer wafers to etching drums without cross-indexing of the wafers and without manual handling of the wafers.

Abstract: A method for post lapping cleaning of silicon wafers wherein the lapped wafer surfaces are cleaned and passivated by being treated with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution of about 0.5 to 2% by weight of hydrogen peroxide and then dried.

Abstract: A method of measuring and monitoring the back side and interior defect density of a wafer from its back side by substantially increasing the back side reflectivity through lapping, etching and controlled back side damage, then measuring defect density with an optical scanner.

Abstract: A wafer etching apparatus for etching wafers provided with an orientation flat, composed of a casing, at least five horizontal, parallel and rotative rollers having annular engagement grooves arranged at regular intervals in the axial direction to receive and support wafers vertically, and a press rod means, wherein the rotative rollers are arranged such that the rollers cooperate to circumscribe the wafers, and that when the orientation flat faces any one of the rollers the rest of the rollers cooperate to hold the wafer so as to prevent the orientation flat from coming in contact with the facing roller.

Abstract: Tertiary monomethylamines having long chain alkyl groups are advantageously prepared from unsaturated aliphatic nitriles under a low pressure at a high yield by the steps of:(a) reducing the nitriles with hydrogen in the presence of a nickel hydrogenation catalyst at 200.degree. through 230.degree. C. and under a hydrogen pressure of 0 through 10 kg/cm.sup.2 G, while the formed ammonia is removed;(b) reacting the resultant amines with a hydroxymethylation agent in the presence of the nickel catalyst at 150.degree. through 180.degree. C., while hydrogen is passed through the reaction zone under 0.3 through 7 kg/cm.sup.2 G and the formed water is removed, and;(c) reducing the resultant tertiary amines with hydrogen in the presence of the nickel catalyst at 175.degree. through 210.degree. C. and under a hydrogen pressure of 5 through 10 kg/cm.sup.2 G.

Abstract: A method of preparing an olefin oligomer by polymerizing an olefin having 6 or more carbon atoms, wherein said olefin is polymerized in the presence of a catalyst consisting of (a) a polyhydric alcohol derivative obtained by replacing the hydrogen atoms of all the hydroxyl groups of the polyhydric alcohol by either acyl groups exclusively or by acyl groups and alkyl groups, both of said groups having 1 - 20 carbon atoms, (b) an aluminum halide in an amount of 1.1 - 2.8 mole per one ester bond or ether bond possessed by said polyhydric alcohol derivative and (c) metallic aluminum powder.

Abstract: A method of preparing a polyolefin oil in the present invention comprises polymerizing an olefin having 6 or more carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst mixture consisting of a polyester of polycarboxylic acid and an aluminum halide. The thus prepared polyolefin oil has a low viscosity and a high viscosity index. When the foregoing polymerization is effected by adding aluminum powder to said catalyst mixture, the content of halogen in the resulting polyolefin oil can be decreased all the more.

Abstract: When an olefin having 6 or more carbon atoms is polymerized in the presence of a mixture of a polyhydric alcohol derivative and an aluminum halide, said derivative being obtained by replacing hydrogen atoms of all the hydroxyl groups of polyhydric alcohol either by acyl groups exclusively or by acyl groups and alkyl groups, both of said groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms (in which mixture the amount of said aluminum halide is 1.1 to 2.8 moles per 1 ester bond of said polyhydric alcohol derivative), there can be obtained liquid olefin polymers having various mean molecular weights at a high yield.