Abstract: Provided is a fiber structure having a high dust holding capacity. The fiber structure includes a thick fiber group composed of fibers A each having a single fiber diameter larger than 5 ?m and a thin fiber group composed of fibers B each having a single fiber diameter of 5 ?m or smaller, and has an intermingled region in which the thick fiber group and the thin fiber group are intermingled.

Abstract: A nickel-base alloy welding material according to an embodiment comprises: Cr (chromium) larger than 30.0% and less than or equal to 36.0% by mass; C (carbon) less than or equal to 0.050% by mass; Fe (iron) larger than or equal to 1.00% and less than or equal to 3.00% by mass; Si (silicon) less than or equal to 0.50% by mass; Nb (niobium)+Ta (tantalum) less than or equal to 3.00% by mass; Ti (titanium) less than or equal to 0.70% by mass; Mn (manganese) larger than or equal to 0.10% and less than or equal to 3.50% by mass; Cu (copper) less than or equal to 0.5% by mass, and a remainder is Ni and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: A nickel-base alloy welding material according to an embodiment comprises: Cr (chromium) larger than 30.0% and less than or equal to 36.0% by mass; C (carbon) less than or equal to 0.050% by mass; Fe (iron) larger than or equal to 1.00% and less than or equal to 3.00% by mass; Si (silicon) less than or equal to 0.50% by mass; Nb (niobium)+Ta (tantalum) less than or equal to 3.00% by mass; Ti (titanium) less than or equal to 0.70% by mass; Mn (manganese) larger than or equal to 0.10% and less than or equal to 3.50% by mass; Cu (copper) less than or equal to 0.5% by mass, and a remainder is Ni and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film containing a doping element in a vacuum atmosphere, which includes: supplying a source gas into a processing vessel being under the vacuum atmosphere through a source gas supply unit such that a source of the source gas is adsorbed onto a substrate in the processing vessel; repeating, a plurality of times, a sequence of operations of supplying a doping gas containing the doping element into the processing vessel through a doping gas supply unit, followed by sealing the doping gas inside the processing vessel, followed by vacuum-exhausting the processing vessel; supplying a reaction gas into the processing vessel through a reaction gas supply unit such that the reaction gas reacts with the source to produce a reaction product; and replacing an internal atmosphere of the processing vessel, the replacing being performed between the operations.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film containing a doping element in a vacuum atmosphere, which includes: supplying a source gas into a processing vessel being under the vacuum atmosphere through a source gas supply unit such that a source of the source gas is adsorbed onto a substrate in the processing vessel; repeating, a plurality of times, a sequence of operations of supplying a doping gas containing the doping element into the processing vessel through a doping gas supply unit, followed by sealing the doping gas inside the processing vessel, followed by vacuum-exhausting the processing vessel; supplying a reaction gas into the processing vessel through a reaction gas supply unit such that the reaction gas reacts with the source to produce a reaction product; and replacing an internal atmosphere of the processing vessel, the replacing being performed between the operations.

Abstract: A life estimating method for a heater wire utilizes data obtained during a period (e.g., a temperature rising period), in which a sign of disconnection of the heater wire is likely to be seen. This method includes detecting a maximum magnitude value of electric power supplied to the heater wire during the temperature rising period for elevating the temperature to a heating temperature prior to providing a heating process to a wafer or wafers. The method further includes obtaining an index indicative of a magnitude of the amplitude of the electric power, and giving notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life when the indexes respectively indicate that the electric power magnitude and the amplitude magnitude exceed threshold values respectively.

Abstract: A method of estimating the life of a heater wire, including the steps of: detecting a maximum value of electric power supplied to the heater wire during a temperature rising period during which a temperature is elevated to a preset heating temperature, obtaining an index indicative of the amplitude of the electric power, and giving a notice that the heater wire is approaching the end of its life when the electric power and the index indicative of the of amplitude of the electric power exceed threshold values respectively provided thereto.

Abstract: A server device constituting a group management system includes one or more manufacturing apparatuses for performing a preset process on a target substrate, and the server device includes a measurement information storage unit for storing therein one or more measurement information; an instruction receiving unit for receiving an output instruction of the measurement information, which contains information specifying a predetermined start point and valid time information; a measurement information acquisition unit for acquiring, from the measurement information storage unit, measurement information ranging from the predetermined start point to a time point of the valid time; an output information composing unit for composing output information by using the acquired measurement information; and an output unit for outputting the output information composed by the output information composing unit.

Abstract: A server device is provided with a measurement information storage unit 1201 which can store plural measurement information, i.e., information having a measurement value and time information indicating time; an instruction receiving unit for receiving an output instruction of the measurement information; a measurement information acquisition unit for acquiring, from the measurement information storage unit, the measurement information designated by the output instruction; an output information composing unit for composing output information by using the acquired measurement information; and an output unit for outputting the output information composed by the output information composing unit.

Abstract: A information processing apparatus 100 for processing an acquired value, which is a value acquired in regard to a state during a treatment, performed by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 200 for performing a treatment on a treatment target containing a semiconductor according to a set value, which is a value for setting a condition of a treatment, includes: a set value receiving portion 101 for receiving the set value; a state value receiving portion 102 for receiving the acquired value; a correction amount calculating portion 103 for calculating a correction amount of the acquired value, using a correction function indicating a relationship between the set value and the acquired value; a correcting portion 104 for correcting the acquired value received by the state value receiving portion 102, using the correction amount calculated by the correction amount calculating portion 103; and an output portion 105 for outputting a result of correction performed by the correcting portion 104.

Abstract: A information processing apparatus 100 for processing an acquired value, which is a value acquired in regard to a state during a treatment, performed by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 200 for performing a treatment on a treatment target containing a semiconductor according to a set value, which is a value for setting a condition of a treatment, includes: a set value receiving portion 101 for receiving the set value; a state value receiving portion 102 for receiving the acquired value; a correction amount calculating portion 103 for calculating a correction amount of the acquired value, using a correction function indicating a relationship between the set value and the acquired value; a correcting portion 104 for correcting the acquired value received by the state value receiving portion 102, using the correction amount calculated by the correction amount calculating portion 103; and an output portion 105 for outputting a result of correction performed by the correcting portion 104.

Abstract: In order to detect an abnormality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a biaxial coordinate system having first and second axes respectively assigned two different monitoring parameters selected from plural apparatus status parameters representing statuses of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is prepared. As monitoring parameters, for example, a cumulative film thickness for deposition processes that have previously been performed in deposition apparatus and an opening of the pressure control valve located in a vacuum exhaust path to control the internal pressure of a reaction vessel are selected. Values of monitoring parameters obtained when the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus was normally operating are plotted on the biaxial coordinate system. A boundary between a normal condition and an abnormality status is set around a plot group.

Abstract: A server device is provided with a measurement information storage unit 1201 which can store plural measurement information, i.e., information having a measurement value and time information indicating time; an instruction receiving unit for receiving an output instruction of the measurement information; a measurement information acquisition unit for acquiring, from the measurement information storage unit, the measurement information designated by the output instruction; an output information composing unit for composing output information by using the acquired measurement information; and an output unit for outputting the output information composed by the output information composing unit.

Abstract: A server device 12 constituting a group management system includes one or more manufacturing apparatuses 11 for performing a preset process on a target substrate, and the server device 12 includes a measurement information storage unit 1201 for storing therein one or more measurement information; an instruction receiving unit 1205 for receiving an output instruction of the measurement information, which contains information specifying a predetermined start point and valid time information; a measurement information acquisition unit 1203 for acquiring, from the measurement information storage unit 1201, measurement information ranging from the predetermined start point to a time point of the valid time; an output information composing unit 1206 for composing output information by using the acquired measurement information; and an output unit 1207 for outputting the output information composed by the output information composing unit 1206.

Abstract: In accordance with a set temperature profile including: a first step in which a temperature is varied from a first temperature to a second temperature during a first time period; a second step in which the temperature is maintained at the second temperature during a second time period; and a third step in which the temperature is varied from the second temperature to a third temperature; a substrate is subjected to a film deposition process. The first temperature, the second temperature, and the third temperature are determined based on the first relationship between temperature and film thickness, the measured film thicknesses at the plurality of positions, and a predetermined target film thickness. There are calculated expected film thicknesses at a plurality of positions on a substrate to be actually processed in accordance with the set temperature profile corresponding to the determined first temperature, the determined second temperature, and the determined third temperature.

Abstract: A life estimating method for a heater wire, which can estimate the life of the heater wire more appropriately than conventional one, by utilizing data obtained during a period (e.g., a temperature rising period), in which a sign of disconnection of the heater wire is likely to be seen, upon estimating the life in advance before the heater wire used in a heating apparatus is disconnected. This method comprises the steps of: detecting a maximum value of magnitude of electric power supplied to the heater wire during the temperature rising period provided for elevating the temperature up to a heating temperature, by supplying the electric power to the heater wire prior to providing a heating process to a wafer or wafers.

Abstract: In order to detect an abnormality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a biaxial coordinate system having first and second axes respectively assigned two different monitoring parameters selected from plural apparatus status parameters representing statuses of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is prepared. As monitoring parameters, for example, a cumulative film thickness for deposition processes that have previously been performed in deposition apparatus and an opening of the pressure control valve located in a vacuum exhaust path to control the internal pressure of a reaction vessel are selected. Values of monitoring parameters obtained when the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus was normally operating are plotted on the biaxial coordinate system. A boundary between a normal condition and an abnormality status is set around a plot group.

Abstract: A information processing apparatus 100 for processing an acquired value, which is a value acquired in regard to a state during a treatment, performed by a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 200 for performing a treatment on a treatment target containing a semiconductor according to a set value, which is a value for setting a condition of a treatment, includes: a set value receiving portion 101 for receiving the set value; a state value receiving portion 102 for receiving the acquired value; a correction amount calculating portion 103 for calculating a correction amount of the acquired value, using a correction function indicating a relationship between the set value and the acquired value; a correcting portion 104 for correcting the acquired value received by the state value receiving portion 102, using the correction amount calculated by the correction amount calculating portion 103; and an output portion 105 for outputting a result of correction performed by the correcting portion 104.

Abstract: This is a highly purified metal comprising one metal selected from the group consisted of titanium, zirconium and hafnium. The highly purified metal has an Al content of not more than 10 ppm. It also has an oxygen content of more than 250 ppm, each of Fe, Ni and Cr contents not more than 10 ppm and each of Na and K contents not more than 0.1 ppm. The highly purified metal is obtained by either purifying crude metal by the iodide process or surface treating crude metal to remove a contaminated layer existing on the surface thereof and then melting The surface treated material with electron bean in a high vacuum.

Abstract: A sputtering target that consists essentially of a continuous matrix of Ti-W phase, Ti phase having a particle diameter of 50 .mu.m or less distributed in the matrix, and a W phase having a particle diameter of 20 .mu.m or less also distributed in the matrix. Preferably the target contains aluminum in the range of 1 ppm or less. The target has high density and a low impurity content, which reduces the generation of particles from the target when it is used for sputtering. A method of manufacturing the sputtering target is also disclosed.