Abstract: A polishing slurry and a polishing method which are suitably used in a CMP technique for flattening a surface of a substrate in a production process of a semiconductor device. The polishing slurry comprises particles and a medium in which at least a part of the particles are dispersed, wherein the particles are made of at least one of (1) a cerium compound selected from cerium oxide, cerium halide and cerium sulfide and having a density of 3 to 6 g/cm3 and an average particle diameter of secondary particles of 1 to 300 nm and (2) a tetravalent metal hydroxide. A polishing method using the polishing slurry takes advantage of a chemical action of particles in the polishing slurry and minimizes a mechanical action of the particles, thereby achieving a decrease in scratches caused by the particles and an increase in polishing rate at the same time.

Abstract: There is provided a game system which perceives a sign intended by a game player from the motion of a finger or hand of the player and controls the motions of game characters or the situation of a game in accordance with the sign. A game machine includes a received-light pattern detection apparatus for detecting the motion of a hand of a game player as a received-light pattern; a sign perception system for perceiving a sign from the received-light pattern input from the received-light pattern detection apparatus, and a main CPU for controlling a game in accordance with the sign perceived by the sign perception system.

Abstract: In a vacuum laser irradiating apparatus disposed between a laser generator and a vacuum vessel in which an object to be irradiated with a laser beam is placed, an outer window plate is airtightly fixed to the outer opening of the apparatus body to maintain the internal cavity of the apparatus body under a vacuum and to pass the laser beam therethrough. This outer window plate is reinforced so as not to be distorted due to pressure difference between an inside vacuum of the apparatus body and an outside atmospheric pressure. This is because the outer window plate is made of an expensive pure monocrystalline material and therefore it is preferably to reduce the thickness thereof for material cost reduction.

Abstract: An intake system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of engine sections for utilizing the interference effect between engine sections to increase the intake charge for at least two engine sections, has a first intake passage connected to a first intake port of one engine section of the at least two engine sections, and a second intake passage connected to a second intake port of another engine section. The first and second intake passages are communicated with each other by a communicating passage and join each other at a junction portion at upstream ends thereof. The first and second intake passages and the communicating passage are arranged so as to have a common axis in the vicinity of the communicating passage. The junction portion is communicated with the atmosphere and a valve is provided for controlling the opening of the communicating passage in accordance with engine operating condition. The valve is located within the communicating passage.