Abstract: A method for making a thin film semiconductor. The method includes the steps of making a semiconductor substrate having one or more layers of different porosity, and subsequently separating the layers along a line of relative weakness. This method is particularly well adapted to manufacturing Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) structures.

Abstract: An SOI substrate having on the surface thereof a single crystal silicon film formed on an insulator is heat-treated in a hydrogen-containing reducing atmosphere in order to smooth the surface and reduce the boron concentration without damaging the film thickness uniformity in a single wafer and among different wafers. The method is characterized in that the single crystal silicon film is arranged opposite to a member of non-oxidized silicon for heat treatment.

Abstract: A porous layer having a multilayered structure is formed. An Si substrate (102) to be processed is anodized in a first electrolytic solution (141, 151) while being held between an anode (106) and a cathode (104) in an anodizing bath (101). The first electrolytic solution (141, 151) is exchanged with a second electrolytic solution (142, 152). The Si substrate (102) is anodized again, thereby forming a porous layer having a multilayered structure on the Si substrate (102).

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and a cover of at least one layer, the cover layer is formed of a heated mixture of an ionomer resin and a metal salt such as magnesium stearate. The heated mixture exhibits such a crystal melting behavior that when measured by DSC, the difference between first and second peak temperatures is up to 30° C. The ball is improved in resilience.

Abstract: A process for producing a semiconductor substrate comprises the steps of forming a porous layer in a first substrate comprising monocrystalline silicon; forming a protective film on a side wall of the pores of the porous layer; forming a nonporous monocrystalline silicon layer on the porous layer; bonding the surface of the nonporous monocrystalline silicon layer onto a second substrate with interposition of an insulating layer; and etching off selectively the porous layer by use of a chemical etching solution.

Abstract: This invention provides an SOI substrate manufacturing method using a transfer method (bonding and separation). A separation layer (12) is formed on a silicon substrate (11). A silicon layer (13), SiGe layer (14), silicon layer (15′), and insulating layer (21) are sequentially formed on the resultant structure to prepare a first substrate (10′). This first substrate (10′) is bonded to a second substrate (30). The bonded substrate stack is separated into two parts at the separation layer (12). Next, Ge in the SiGe layer (14) is diffused into the silicon layer (13) by hydrogen annealing. With this process, a strained SOI substrate having the SiGe layer on the insulating layer (21) and a strained silicon layer on the SiGe layer is obtained.

Abstract: There are disclosed a semiconductor substrate having a non-porous monocrystalline layer with reduced crystal defects on a porous silicon layer and a method of forming the substrate.

Abstract: With a method according to the invention, a semiconductor article such as an SOI substrate having on the surface thereof a single crystal silicon film formed on an insulator is etched by heat treatment in a hydrogen-containing reducing atmosphere in order to remove the surface by a desired height and smooth it. The method is characterized in that the single crystal silicon film is arranged opposite to silicon oxide in a furnace during the etching process.

Abstract: With a method according to the invention, a semiconductor article such as an SOI substrate having on the surface thereof a single crystal silicon film formed on an insulator is etched by heat treatment in a hydrogen-containing reducing atmosphere in order to remove the surface by a desired height and smooth it. The method is characterized in that the single crystal silicon film is arranged opposite to silicon oxide in a furnace during the etching process.

Abstract: A golf ball coating composition is obtained by incorporating in a base resin paint a fluorescent whitening agent which is a 7-triazinylamino-3-phenylcoumarin derivative. A golf ball painted on its cover surface with the coating composition is improved in weather resistance and brightness and minimized in color fading due to diffusion of the whitening agent into the cover.

Abstract: A novel heat treatment apparatus is provided which comprises a first tube, a second tube placed therein, and a heater. A semiconductor article is heat treated in the second tube in an atmospheric gas. At least an internal face of the second tube is constructed from non-silicon oxide, and the first tube is constructed from vitreous silica. In this way, hydrogen gas is fed to a wafer without passing over a face comprised of silicon oxide heated to a high temperature. This apparatus prevents metal contamination of the wafer by fused quartz tube as the contamination source and also prevents etching of silicon by reaction of silicon oxide and silicon.

Abstract: An output apparatus for forming output information on the basis of input information inputted from an external apparatus and outputting is constructed by a connector for connecting the output apparatus to the external apparatus so that they can communicate, a memory to store a data group to manage a menu structure for setting an output environment, an internal environment setting unit for setting an output environment on the basis of the data group, a transfer unit for transferring the data group from the memory to the external apparatus through the connector, and an external environment setting unit for setting an output environment onto the external apparatus on the basis of the data group transferred to the external apparatus. An operating method for the internal environment setting unit and an operating method for the external environment setting unit are identical.

Abstract: The number of defects (HF defects) in the SOI layer of an SOI substrate is reduced. In an annealing method of annealing an SOI substrate in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature equal to or less than the melting point of a semiconductor, annealing is executed in a state wherein a flow of a reducing atmospheric gas parallel to the surface of the SOI substrate is generated near this surface.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit for acquiring information from a printer connected through a bidirectional interface, and a control unit for controlling a display status of a virtual printer, which is displayed on a display screen and represents the printer, on the basis of the information acquired by the acquiring unit. An output apparatus includes a setting unit for setting an operating environment, and a changing unit for changing operating environment information set by the setting unit on the basis of information acquired from an information processing apparatus connected through a bidirectional interface.

Abstract: A process of producing a semiconductor article is disclosed which comprises the steps of epitaxially growing on at least one surface of a single-crystal substrate a plurality of single-crystal semiconductor layers differing from each other in at least one of the kind and the concentration of an impurity, making porous the plurality of single-crystal semiconductor layers so as to form a high porosity layer and a low porosity layer, forming a non-porous single-crystal layer on a surface of the single-crystal semiconductor layer as made porous, and bonding and single-crystal substrate and a support substrate to each other, wherein the bonded single-crystal substrate and support substrate are separated at at least one of a location in the high porosity layer and an interface of the high porosity layer with a layer adjacent thereto.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for communicating information with an information device. The information processing apparatus accesses virtual device image data representing an image of the information device, obtains status information representing a status of the information device from the information device through a bidirectional interface, and controls a display to display a virtual device image of the information device based on the accessed virtual device image data and the obtained status information. The virtual device image is a visual representation of the physical appearance of the information device in the status represented by the obtained status information.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit for acquiring information from a printer connected through a bidirectional interface, and a control unit for controlling a display status of a virtual printer, which is displayed on a display screen and represents the printer, on the basis of the information acquired by the acquiring unit. An output apparatus includes a setting unit for setting an operating environment, and a changing unit for changing operating environment information set by the setting unit on the basis of information acquired from an information processing apparatus connected through a bidirectional interface.

Abstract: In a bonded semiconductor member, microgaps are formed on a substrate side of a bonding interface to thereby constitute a gettering site, and heavy metal elements contaminated in the substrate are captured by the microgaps. The bonded semiconductor member is manufactured by interposing the microgaps between two substrates.

Abstract: A printer or the like which enables a user to select a paper cassette containing papers available for an appropriate finishing process when the user selects another paper cassette to continue the printing in a condition that the print process is interrupted by running out of papers in the paper cassette, having a table containing information about what types of papers are mounted in respective paper cassettes and a table containing information about relationships between the paper types and the finishing processes executable on the respective types of papers.

Abstract: A method of producing an SOI substrate is disclosed which comprises a step of preparing an Si substrate prepared by the floating zone process (FZ process), a step of implanting oxygen ions from the principal surface side of the Si substrate thereinto to form an ion-implanted layer in the Si substrate, and a buried Si oxide layer forming step of forming an Si oxide layer buried below the single-crystal Si layer on the principal surface side, by a heat treatment of the Si substrate.