Abstract: A magnetic head has an opposite face opposite to a magnetic disk, a main pole having a distal end face and an inclined face exposed to the opposite face, and a shield yoke extended substantially facing the opposite face. An end face on which the shield yoke is opposite to the main pole via a gap is inclined substantially in parallel to the inclined face of the main pole.

Abstract: A heavy-duty tire having a tread portion improved in the shoulder wear is disclosed. Under the maximum load condition[W100], the tread portion has a ground contacting face G[W100] having circumferential lengths L97[W100] and L70[W100] at specific axial positions. Under the 70% load condition[W70], the tread portion has a ground contacting face G[W70] having lengths L97[W70] and L70[W70] at specific axial positions. The lengths L70[W100], L97[W100], L70[W70] and L97[W70] satisfy specific conditions: 0.95<L70[W100]/L97[W100]<1.05; and 1.03<L70[W70]/L97[W70]<1.20.

Abstract: Electric conductivity is enhanced without causing coagulation or precipitation of polishing abrasive grains. In addition, good planarization is realized without inducing defects in a metallic film or a wiring which are to be polished. In an electropolishing method for planarizing the surface of a metallic film to be polished by moving a polishing pad (15) in sliding contact with the metallic film surface while oxidizing the metallic film surface through an electrolytic action in an electropolishing liquid E, the electropolishing liquid E contains at least polishing abrasive grains and an electrolyte for maintaining an electrostatically charged state of the polishing abrasive grains. Since the electropolishing liquid having a high electric conductivity is used, it is possible to obtain a high electrolyzing current and to enlarge the distance between electrodes.

Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing apparatus by which excess portions of a metallic film 18 can be removed easily and efficiently in planarizing the metallic film 18 by polishing and which is high in accuracy of polishing, are provided. Also, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by use of the polishing method and the polishing apparatus is provided. A substrate 17 provided with the metallic film 18 and a counter electrode 15 are disposed oppositely to each other in an electrolytic solution E, an electric current is passed to the metallic film 18 through the electrolytic solution E, and the surface of the metallic film 18 is polished with a hard pad 14.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by forming an alloy layer in a connection hole provided in a layer insulation film on a substrate, including a first step of forming a first Cu layer in the state of covering the inside wall of the connection hole, a second step of forming an Ag layer on the first Cu layer, a third step of filling up with a second Cu layer the connection hole provided with the Ag layer, and a fourth step of forming a via composed of a CuAg alloy by diffusion caused by a heat treatment.

Abstract: It aims to provide a heavy duty pneumatic tire with block patterns and capable of improving deflected wear resisting performances without sacrificing wet grip performances or on-snow performances and that can particularly be favorably used for all seasons.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device 100 is constructed in which a waveguide 15 is formed in an insulating layer on a light-receiving sensor portion 2, a side wall 161 of the waveguide 15 is covered with a reflective film 17 made of an Al film deposited by a CVD method, an underlayer film 19 is formed between the reflective film 17 and the side wall 161 of the waveguide 15 and the underlayer film 19 is made of a VIb-group element. It is possible to obtain a solid-state image pickup device including a waveguide in which hydrogen supplied to the light-receiving sensor portion 2 can be restrained from being absorbed by the underlayer film 19 and which has the reflective film 17 of high reflectivity with satisfactory surface condition, satisfactory coverage and excellent adhesion.

Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing apparatus by which excess portions of a metallic film 18 can be removed easily and efficiently in planarizing the metallic film 18 by polishing and which is high in accuracy of polishing, are provided. Also, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by use of the polishing method and the polishing apparatus is provided. A substrate 17 provided with the metallic film 18 and a counter electrode 15 are disposed oppositely to each other in an electrolytic solution E, an electric current is passed to the metallic film 18 through the electrolytic solution E, and the surface of the metallic film 18 is polished with a hard pad 14.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus and a polishing method by which it is possible to restrain variations in the composition of an electrolytic solution 2 between a wafer 3 and a counter electrode 5, and the like, and to make current density distribution substantially constant in the plane of the wafer. The polishing apparatus, for planarizing a surface to be polished 3a by electrolytic combined polishing composed of a combination of electropolishing and mechanical polishing, includes a voltage impressing means 5 disposed oppositely to the surface to be polished 3a, and a discharging means for discharging foreign matter intermediately present between the voltage impressing means 5 and the object of polishing.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an interlevel insulating film disposed on a semiconductor substrate and having an opening formed therein. An interconnection main layer, which contains Cu as a main component, is embedded in the opening. A barrier film is interposed between the interlevel insulating film and the interconnection main layer within the opening. The barrier film contains, as a main component, a compound of a predetermined metal element with a component element of the interlevel insulating film.

Abstract: The object is to make it possible to pass an electric current to the object of polishing with a stable current density distribution up to the end point of polishing, to use the same plating apparatus, cleaning apparatus and other apparatuses as those conventionally used, and to carry out the conventional manufacturing process flow. A substrate (1) provided with a metallic film (2) and a opposite electrode (3) are disposed oppositely to each other with a predetermined distance therebetween in an electrolytic solution, and an electric current is passed to the metallic film (2) through the electrolytic solution by an anode (4) set out of contact with the metallic film (2), so as to electropolish the metallic film (2). Simultaneously with the electropolishing, wiping is conducted by sliding a pad on the metallic film.

Abstract: The invention provides a battery pack 2 operatively associated with a main system 1 for charge-level data sharing between them for recording and management. The battery pack 2 includes recorder means 22 that is connected to the main system 1 for writing to and reading out of the main system 1. Charge-level data measured (12, 14) and calculated (13) at at least the main system 1 are written to and read out of the recorder means 22 by way of signal lines. The battery pack 2 is not provided with any means for management of the charge-level data, making cost and size reductions possible.

Abstract: There are provided a polishing method and a polishing apparatus for appropriately controlling the potential of an acting electrode to perform an accurate and stable electrolytic polishing process. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the polishing method and the polishing apparatus. In the polishing method according to the present invention, a substrate with a metal film formed thereon and a counter electrode are disposed in facing relation to each other in an electrolytic liquid, and a current is supplied to the metal film through the electrolytic liquid based on the potential of the metal film with respect to a reference electrode.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device 100 is constructed in which a waveguide 15 is formed in an insulating layer on a light-receiving sensor portion 2, a side wall 161 of the waveguide 15 is covered with a reflective film 17 made of an Al film deposited by a CVD method, an underlayer film 19 is formed between the reflective film 17 and the side wall 161 of the waveguide 15 and the underlayer film 19 is made of a VIa-group element. It is possible to obtain a solid-state image pickup device including a waveguide in which hydrogen supplied to the light-receiving sensor portion 2 can be restrained from being absorbed by the underlayer film 19 and which has the reflective film 17 of high reflectivity with satisfactory surface condition, satisfactory coverage and excellent adhesion.

Abstract: Electric conductivity is enhanced without causing coagulation or precipitation of polishing abrasive grains. In addition, good planarization is realized without inducing defects in a metallic film or a wiring which are to be polished.

Abstract: In a hybrid power supply system which includes an electric double layer capacitor (10) having a pair of capacitor terminals (11 and 12), an energy storage (70a), and first and second bidirectional DC/DC converters (30a and 30b), the above-mentioned pair of capacitor terminals of the electric double layer capacitor are connected to a load (60a) through the first bidirectional DC/DC converter and are connected to the energy storage through the second bidirectional DC/DC converter.

Abstract: A method for expressing an approximate curve of an original curve by approximately expressing the original curve such as Bezier curve using matrix dots, comprises finding first and second coordinates of three consecutive dots of the approximate curve; and then finding a third coordinate of the three consecutive dots of the approximate curve on the basis of a difference between value of parameter "t" used for determining the coordinates of the first dot and that used for determining the coordinates of the second dot.

Abstract: A method for approximately representing a first curve having anchor points and a control point, wherein the first curve is subdivided into a plurality of segments and an approximate curve is constructed by joining the points corresponding to the ends of the segments with straight lines. The number of segments is a prestored value.

Abstract: A method for approximately representing a first curve having anchor points and a control point, wherein the first curve is subdivided into a plurality of segments and an approximate curve is constructed by joining the points corresponding to the ends of the segments with straight lines. The number of segments is a function of the difference between the lengths of lines joining the anchor points and control point, and a line joining the anchor points.

Abstract: A method for approximately representing a first curve having anchor points and a control point, wherein the first curve is subdivided into a plurality of segments and an approximate curve is constructed by joining the points corresponding to the ends of the segments with straight lines. The number of segments is determined by sequentially subdividing the first curve until sum of the lengths of lines joining the anchor points and control points is less than a predetermined value.