Abstract: An apparatus for accurately determining if a substrate is properly retained by a substrate-retaining mechanism. The apparatus includes a substrate-retaining mechanism to retain a wafer, a treatment liquid supply mechanism to supply a treatment liquid to the wafer, and a rotatable cup adapted to rotate as an integral unit with the substrate-retaining mechanism while covering the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. The substrate-retaining mechanism has a retaining member with two ends. If the first end retains a wafer, the second end is in an upper position. If the first end retains no wafer, the second end is in a lower position. A touch sensor is arranged below the second end of the retaining member so that, when the second end is in the lower position, the second end makes contact with the touch sensor.

Abstract: An endoscope light source unit comprising: a first light source section emitting a first illumination light composed of white light; a second light source section emitting a second illumination light orthogonally to a direction in which the first illumination light travels; a light combining member transmitting the first illumination light through a transmission section and, at the same time, reflecting the second illumination light by means of a reflection section to form a combined light so that a beam of the second illumination light may be located in a central part of a beam of the first illumination light; a shaping lens for modifying the beam of the second illumination light emitted; and a condenser lens for converging the combined light.

Abstract: An endoscope system is able to stably obtain an image free from speckle interference. A captured image including a first basic color component B on which a speckle noise of a laser beam is superimposed and a second basic color component G not including the speckle noise. A speckle noise component Bs is extracted based on difference information between the first basic color component B and the second basic color component G Based on the extracted speckle noise component Bs, the speckle noise component Bs is removed from the first basic color component B, so as to obtain a good observation image free from the speckle noise.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate transit table configured to mount thereon a plurality of substrates; a substrate processing chamber configured to process the substrate one by one; a substrate transfer device capable of loading the substrate into the substrate processing chamber from the substrate transit table and unloading the substrate from the substrate processing chamber to the substrate transit table; and N number of (N is an integer equal to or larger than 3) substrate holding devices provided at the substrate transfer device and configured to hold the substrates one by one. Here, a multiplicity of (2 to N?1 number of) substrates are concurrently held by 2 to N?1 number of substrate holding devices among the N number of substrate holding devices and one substrate is loaded into the substrate processing chamber.

Abstract: An imaging device for an endoscope includes an image pickup lens, a spectral characteristics variable optical element, and a CCD. The spectral characteristics variable optical element passes only light of a specific wavelength in accordance with the distance between first and second plates, and reflects light of the other wavelengths. The CCD converts the light reflected from the variable optical element into an image signal. In fluorescence endoscopy, a fluorescent labeling agent is administered on an internal body part to be examined. Application of excitation light to the body part causes the fluorescent labeling agent to emit fluorescence. The variable optical element removes the excitation light from the fluorescence by regulation of the distance between the first and second plates.

Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus wherein, even if a trouble occurs, it is bound to continue a process for the substrate without stopping the substrate processing apparatus entirely. The substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes first and second substrate conveying devices configured to convey wafers, and first and second processing blocks provided on the right and left sides of the substrate conveying device and having processing unit arrays each configured to perform the same process. Processing unit arrays on one side and processing unit arrays on the other side are respectively connected to a processing liquid supply system commonly provided with them. And, when any one of substrate conveying devices, processing liquid supply systems has a problem, the process for the wafer can be performed in the processing unit array to which the substrate conveying device and the processing liquid supply system under normal operation belong.

Abstract: An endoscope for image pickup of an object by receiving image light with an image sensor includes an elongated tube. A fiber optic image guide includes a plurality of optical fibers being bundled, and has a distal tip, is inserted through the elongated tube, for transmitting the image light focused on the distal tip by an objective lens system in a proximal direction. A piezoelectric actuator is disposed on an outer side of the fiber optic image guide, for periodically displacing the distal tip, wherein the image sensor picks up the image light from the fiber optic image guide for plural times in synchronism with displacement, to form one synthesized image. A hood device is mounted on a head assembly of the elongated tube, and shiftable between a closed position for covering a distal end face of the head assembly and an open position for revealing the distal end face.

Abstract: An endoscope for imaging of an object in a body cavity by receiving image light on an image sensor is provided. In an elongated tube for entry in the body cavity, an objective lens system is incorporated for receiving the image light from the object. A fiber optic image guide includes plural bundled optical fibers and a distal tip, is inserted in the elongated tube, for transmitting the image light focused on the distal tip by the objective lens system. A piezoelectric actuator is positioned on the distal tip, for displacing the distal tip periodically. The image sensor detects the image light from the fiber optic image guide for plural times in synchronism with the displacement for forming a synthesized image. An anchoring device anchors the elongated tube partially on a wall of the body cavity, to stabilize the elongated tube relative to the image light.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of fluid suppliers 61, 61, 63 for supplying different processing fluids. In processing a wafer W, the substrate processing apparatus moves the fluid suppliers 61, 62, 63 along the peripheral part of the wafer W relatively. The fluid suppliers 61, 62, 63 are arranged in a direction extending from the circumference of the wafer W to its inside. With the arrangement, the apparatus is capable of stable processing of the wafer W in spite of rotating the wafer W at a low speed. Further, it is possible to improve a throughput of the apparatus in resist processing.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an elongated tube. An objective lens system is disposed in the elongated tube, for passing image light from an object. A fiber optic image guide includes plural optical fibers bundled together, has a distal tip, is inserted through the elongated tube, for transmitting the image light focused on the distal tip by the objective lens system in a proximal direction. A displacing device displaces the distal tip laterally and periodically upon receiving entry of the image light being focused by use of a piezoelectric actuator positioned outside the distal tip. An image sensor creates images in plural set positions of the distal tip. First to fourth images among the plural images created consecutively are combined to form a first synthesized image. Then second to fifth images among the plural images without use of the first image are combined to form a second synthesized image.

Abstract: A front end rigid portion constitutes a front end of an endoscope insertion unit in an endoscope. The front end rigid portion is provided with an illumination optical system irradiating an observation target area with illumination light and an imaging optical system having an imaging element imaging the observation target area. The endoscope includes a heat emission member which is connected to the front end rigid portion and extends in the longitudinal direction of the endoscope insertion unit. The heat emission member is formed by mixing fiber-piece-shaped fillers with a resin material.

Abstract: An endoscope includes an elongated tube. An objective lens system is disposed in the elongated tube, for passing image light from an object. A fiber optic image guide includes plural optical fibers bundled together, has a distal tip, is inserted through the elongated tube, for transmitting the image light focused on the distal tip by the objective lens system in a proximal direction. A displacing device displaces the distal tip laterally and periodically upon receiving entry of the image light being focused by use of a piezoelectric actuator positioned outside the distal tip. A support casing supports the distal tip inserted therein, keeps the distal tip shiftable on the displacing device, and transmits force of the piezoelectric actuator disposed outside to the fiber optic image guide.

Abstract: An endoscope illuminating optical system includes an illumination lens having a positive power. Illumination light rays parallel to each other emitted from an optical fiber bundle enter an incident surface of the illumination lens. The incident surface of the illumination lens is aspherical, and has a reference position vertical to the optical axis. The reference position is the most projecting portion on the incident surface. A shape of the incident surface is expressed by an equation of D=F(H). “H” is a height from the optical axis (0?H?Hmax), and “D” is a depth from a reference plane. The reference plane is vertical to the optical axis. The reference position is on the reference plane. A first-order differential value of the function F(H) is more than 0, and a second-order differential value of the function F(H) is 0 at a particular height Hi (0<Hi<Hmax).

Abstract: An endoscope illuminating optical system includes an illumination lens having a positive power. Illumination light rays parallel to each other emitted from an optical fiber bundle enter an incident surface of the illumination lens. The incident surface of the illumination lens is aspherical, and has a reference position vertical to the optical axis. The reference position is the most projecting portion on the incident surface. A shape of the incident surface is expressed by an equation of D=F(H). “H” is a height from the optical axis (0?H?Hmax), and “D” is a depth from a reference plane. The reference plane is vertical to the optical axis. The reference position is on the reference plane. A first-order differential value of the function F(H) is more than 0, and a second-order differential value of the function F(H) is 0 at a particular height Hi (0<Hi<Hmax).

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of fluid suppliers 61, 61, 63 for supplying different processing fluids. In processing a wafer W, the substrate processing apparatus moves the fluid suppliers 61, 62, 63 along the peripheral part of the wafer W relatively. The fluid suppliers 61, 62, 63 are arranged in a direction extending from the circumference of the wafer W to its inside. With the arrangement, the apparatus is capable of stable processing of the wafer W in spite of rotating the wafer W at a low speed. Further, it is possible to improve a throughput of the apparatus in resist processing.

Abstract: A single valve member is provided for selecting communication of one of two flow passages constituting an exhaust flow passage, and continuously providing a flow passage area of the selected one of the two flow passages. According to this valve member, a changeover of flow passage between a main flow passage with an exhaust processing device disposed therein and a bypass flow passage is performed, and each flow passage area is regulated, to meet an output requirement, exhaust processing requirement and muffling requirement, appropriately. For example, a single valve member 5 is disposed on the upstream side or downstream side of a start catalytic converter 3, whereby communication of one of a main flow passage 1 and a bypass flow passage 2 is selected, and a flow passage area of the selected passage is continuously provided.

Abstract: When cassettes are placed on a conveyor disposed in a cassette loader and detectors disposed on a support plate on the conveyor detect information of identification strips on side walls of the cassettes, the cassettes are judged as being loaded properly in the cassette loader. When the detectors fail to detect the identification strips, the cassettes are judged as not being loaded in a desired state in the cassette loader.

Abstract: According to evaluation of tone quality of exhaust sound adapted to human audition, a characteristic of the tone quality of exhaust sound is objectively analyzed. There are provided a measuring process (M1) for sampling exhaust sound to be analyzed, by means of a microphone disposed in an exhaust system EX and converting the exhaust sound into an electric signal, an analyzing process (M2) for amplifying a high frequency component of the electric signal and performing a frequency analysis of the electric signal at an arbitrary time interval, a detecting process (M3) for detecting a first formant of the first peak from the low frequency side and a second formant of the second peak from the low frequency side, and a displaying process (M4) for displaying a relationship (brightness and sharpness) between the first formant and second formant in a predetermined time range.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for accurately determining if a substrate is properly retained by a substrate-retaining mechanism, lowering the manufacturing cost, and instantly detecting any fracture of the substrate during treatment are disclosed. The apparatus includes a substrate-retaining mechanism to retain a wafer, a treatment liquid supply mechanism to supply a treatment liquid to the wafer, and a rotatable cup adapted to rotate as an integral unit with the substrate-retaining mechanism while covering the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. The substrate-retaining mechanism has a retaining member. A second end of the retaining member is in the upper position when a first end of the retaining member retains a wafer, or in the lower position when the first end is retaining no wafer. A touch sensor is arranged below the second end of the retaining member so that, when the second end is in the lower position, it can touch the second end.

Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus comprises a liquid processing section for applying a liquid processing to wafers W, a carrier delivery section for delivering the carrier housing the wafers W, a carrier stock section capable of storing a plurality of carriers, an interface section for transferring the wafers W between the carrier stock section and the liquid processing section, a carrier transfer device for transferring the carrier, a wafer inspecting device for inspecting the wafers W within the carrier, and a carrier transfer device control section for controlling the carrier transfer device. The carrier transfer device control section controls the carrier transfer device such that the carrier, which has been judged to be capable of a liquid processing on the basis of the result of the inspection of the wafers W, is stored in the carrier stock section, and the liquid processing is started after completion of the inspection of a predetermined number of carriers.