Abstract: An automatic plasma processing device having a substantially vertically disposed plasma chamber in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers are processed with plasma simultaneously. The device comprises a container cassette adapted to contain a plurality of wafers therein, a feeding mechanism for feeding the cassette to a predetermined position, a replacing mechanism for taking out the wafers from the cassette placed at the predetermined position, a holding frame operable to receive the wafers from the replacing mechanism and hold the same therein, a driving mechanism for moving the holding frame up and down into and out of the plasma chamber, a plasma generating mechanism for generating plasma in the plasma chamber, and a control system for controlling the aforesaid mechanisms. The automatic plasma processing device has a simplified construction and automatically and successively processes a large number of wafers, while at the same time being compact.

Abstract: A solution-dropping nozzle device comprising an inner tube of a relatively large diameter which permits a solution to flow down therethrough, and a plurality of outer tubes of a relatively small diameter adapted for supplying a cleaning solvent to the lower end part of the inner tube, the outer tubes having at least the lower end parts thereof tight-fitted on an outer circumferential portion of the inner tube so as to enclose the same continuously. The outer tubes may have the lower ends thereof positioned higher than the lower end of the inner tube.The nozzle device is free from the concentration of a dropping solution at the nozzle end part, and the eduction of a solute thereof.

Abstract: A thin-film coating apparatus comprising a device for applying in a dropwise manner a film-forming coating solution onto a material to be treated, a spinner adapted to rotate the material, a casing for enclosing the material, and a wall surface provided within the casing such that the wall surface faces the material, the wall surface being wet with a solvent for a solute of the coating solution. The apparatus is effective in applying a high-quality uniform coating film at a high speed, thereby facilitating the mass-production of thin-film coated materials or articles.

Abstract: An electrochromic display device comprising a transparent substrate and a counter substrate sealingly joined together to define a cell for accommodating an electrolyte, a transparent electroconductive layer on an inner surface of the transparent substrate, a display electrode layer overlaying the transparent electroconductive layer and a counter electrode layer deposited on an inner surface of the counter substrate is featured by the provision of a transparent insulating layer between the transparent substrate and the transparent electroconductive layer.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved process for providing wirings and electrodes of aluminum film on the surface of a substrate. Instead of the conventional method of directly forming an organic resist layer on the metal film, a remarkable improvement in the fineness and accuracy of patterning is obtained by providing a subsidiary masking layer, mainly composed of silicon dioxide, between the metal film and the organic resist layer; and pattern-wise etching by first etching the subsidiary masking layer through a patterned mask of the organic resist layer with a fluorine-containing etching gas to form a patterned subsidiary masking layer, and then etching the metal film with a chlorine-containing etching gas through the mask of the patterned subsidiary masking layer, followed by final removal of the remaining subsidiary masking layer.

Abstract: An efficient method is proposed for preventing leaching of contaminants from the surface of a solid, such as sodium ions from the surface of soda glass or nickel, chromium or iron from the surface of stainless steel in order to minimize detrimental contamination of highly pure substances in contact with the solid surface.The effect is basically obtained by providing a coating film of oxidized silicon on to the solid surface and the coating film is formed by applying a coating solution containing a hydroxysilane compound to the surface followed by baking of the coating layer at a temperature not lower than 150.degree. C., the coating solution being prepared by the equilibration reaction of an alkoxysilane with a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, of an acyloxysilane with an alcohol, or of an alkoxysilane with water in an alcohol where the molar ratios of the individual reactants are in the specified ranges.

Abstract: Liquid compositions suitable for providing silica-based coating films on to various substrate surfaces are prepared by the reaction of an alkoxy-containing silane, a lower carboxylic acid and an alcohol in the presence of a reaction accelerator which is an organic acid different from the above mentioned lower carboxylic acid. The reaction proceeds very smoothly even in the absence of any halogen-containing compounds, and the resultant liquid coating compositions are free from the problem of corrosion due to the presence of a halogen-containing ingredient.

Abstract: A liquid coating composition for formation of a transparent conductive film, which comprises a solution of indium nitrate in a .beta.-diketone or a mixture of a .beta.-diketone and another organic solvent or a reaction product of indium nitrate with a .beta.-diketone, an activator and an organic solvent other than a .beta.-diketone, is disclosed.When this coating composition is coated on a substrate and the coated substrate is heat-treated at a temperature higher than about 350.degree. C., there can be obtained a transparent conductive film having excellent transparency, electrical conductivity and mechanical strength.