Abstract: A protective sheet is fixed to a jig, and regions of the protective sheet corresponding to regions where dicing-cut is to be performed are removed to form grooves. Then, a semiconductor wafer is bonded to the protective sheet at an opposite side of the jig, and the jig is detached from the protective sheet and the semiconductor wafer bonded together. After that, the semiconductor wafer is cut into semiconductor chips by dicing along the grooves of the protective sheet. Because the protective sheet is not cut by dicing, no scraps of the protective sheet is produced, thereby preventing contamination to the chips.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor wafer having a weak portion and a removable passivation cap disposed on the wafer for covering the weak portion. The passivation cap has an absorption coefficient of a laser beam, which is smaller than that of the wafer. The cap has a capability of passing water therethrough. In a case where the device is diced and cut into a plurality of chips, the passivation cap can be removed easily without bonding the cap again. That is because the passivation cap remains one body after dicing.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a silicon substrate; a plurality of silicon oxide columns having a rectangular plan shape; and a cavity disposed between the columns. Each column has a lower portion disposed on the substrate. Each column has a width defined as W1. The cavity has a width defined as W2. A ratio of W1/W2 becomes smaller as it goes to the lower portion of the column. A core layer provided by the columns and the cavity can have the thickness equal to or larger than a few dozen ?m easily. Therefore, connection loss between a light source and the device is reduced.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dynamic quantity detection device includes bonding a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element for detecting a dynamic quantity to a stand using a bonding layer. Initially, a semiconductor chip is formed that includes a detection element used for correlating a dynamic quantity to be detected to an electric quantity and a processing circuit element used for a circuit that processes the electric quantity. Further, a bonding layer is placed on a stand. The semiconductor chip is then placed on the bonding layer and the semiconductor chip is bonded to the stand by sintering the bonding layer at 400° C. or lower in order to suppress a change in a characteristic of the processing circuit element.

Abstract: A semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor detects a dynamic force and a fault diagnosis through the use of a single bridge circuit. Sensor output terminals are connected to midpoints between gauge resistors to make a combination of the midpoints at which an equal electric potential is measured when no pressure is applied to a diaphragm of the sensor. Fault diagnostic output terminals are connected to wiring patterns in the same manner as the first output terminals. One of the sensor output terminals has three selectable terminals connected to different positions of the midpoint. One of the diagnostic output terminals also has three selectable terminals connected to different positions of the wiring patterns. Accordingly, an offset voltage of the sensor output and the fault diagnostic output can be adjusted appropriately when one of the selectable terminals are selected as appropriate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor optical device is provided. The device includes first and second optical parts disposed on a semiconductor substrate and optically connected each other. The method includes the steps of: etching the substrate so that a first-optical-part-to-be-formed region of the substrate is formed to have the same outline as the first optical part and a positioning member for determining a position of the second optical part is formed in the substrate; forming the first optical part from the first-optical-part-to-be-formed region; and mounting the second optical part on the substrate in such a manner that the second optical part contacts the positioning member.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dynamic quantity detection device that is formed by bonding a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element for detecting a dynamic quantity to a stand using a bonding layer includes: forming a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element used for correlating a dynamic quantity to be detected to an electric quantity and a plurality of processing circuit elements used for making up a circuit that processes the electric quantity; placing a bonding layer on a stand; placing the semiconductor chip on the bonding layer; bonding the semiconductor chip to the stand by sintering the bonding layer; and annealing the semiconductor chip in an atmosphere that contains hydrogen in order to cure a change, which is caused during the bonding of the semiconductor chip, in a characteristic of one of the processing circuit elements.

Abstract: A protective sheet is fixed to a jig, and regions of the protective sheet corresponding to regions where dicing-cut is to be performed are removed to form grooves. Then, a semiconductor wafer is bonded to the protective sheet at an opposite side of the jig, and the jig is detached from the protective sheet and the semiconductor wafer bonded together. After that, the semiconductor wafer is cut into semiconductor chips by dicing along the grooves of the protective sheet. Because the protective sheet is not cut by dicing, no scraps of the protective sheet is produced, thereby preventing contamination to the chips.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor wafer having sensing portions exposed on a surface thereof and an adhesive sheet attached to the semiconductor wafer as a protective cap to cover the sensing portions. The adhesive sheet is composed of a flat adhesive sheet and adhesive disposed generally on an entire surface of the adhesive sheet. Adhesion of the adhesive is selectively reduced by UV irradiation to have adhesion reduced regions, and the adhesion reduced regions face the sensing portions. The protective cap can be produced with high productivity, and securely protect the sensing portions when the semiconductor wafer is diced and is transported.

Abstract: A semiconductor dynamic quantity sensor detects a dynamic force and a fault diagnosis through the use of a single bridge circuit. Sensor output terminals are connected to midpoints between gauge resistors to make a combination of the midpoints at which an equal electric potential is measured when no pressure is applied to a diaphragm of the sensor. Fault diagnostic output terminals are connected to wiring patterns in the same manner as the first output terminals. One of the sensor output terminals has three selectable terminals connected to different positions of the midpoint. One of the diagnostic output terminals also has three selectable terminals connected to different positions of the wiring patterns. Accordingly, an offset voltage of the sensor output and the fault diagnostic output can be adjusted appropriately when one of the selectable terminals are selected as appropriate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor wafer having a weak portion and a removable passivation cap disposed on the wafer for covering the weak portion. The passivation cap has an absorption coefficient of a laser beam, which is smaller than that of the wafer. The cap has a capability of passing water therethrough. In a case where the device is diced and cut into a plurality of chips, the passivation cap can be removed easily without bonding the cap again. That is because the passivation cap remains one body after dicing.

Abstract: A plularity of sensor chips, each having strain gauges and a thin diaphragm, are formed on a semiconductor wafer having an upper layer and a lower layer forming a P-N junction plane therebetween. The sensor chips are separated into individual pieces by dicing along column and row interstices dividing the sensor chips. Conductor lines for supplying an electrical voltage for electrochemically etching the diaphragms are formed on and along the interstices. All of the conductor lines are removed by a dicing blade having a wider width than the conductor lines to avoid electrical leakage due to particles of conductor lines leftover on side surfaces of the diced out sensor chips.

Abstract: A self-piercing rivet comprises a flange with a large diameter and a shank with a hollow cavity extending from the flange inward. The rivet is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The shank is a straight cylinder with outer diameter D1, and the hollow cavity in the shank has conical section tapered from the shank end and converging towards the flange at angle &agr; and a straight cylinder section with inner diameter D2 extending from the conical section to the end on the flange side. The shank has a substantially flat ring-shaped end with outer diameter D1 and radial length T1. The angle &agr; of the conical section ranges between 70° and 110°.

Abstract: A bridge circuit includes four gage resistors. Each gage resistor is divided into two division gage resistors. A couple of division gage resistors. The junction points between division gage resistors outputting the same potential when no pressure is applied are used for diagnostic. Four gage resistors out of the eight gage resistors are arranged near the center of diaphragm 14, and the other four division resistors are arranged near the peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm 14 to make the stress distribution even.

Abstract: A shock absorbing material comprising an Al—Mg—Si series aluminum alloy having high strength and showing excellent energy absorbing property when compressed in the axial direction of extrusion is obtained. The shock absorbing material of the invention has a hollow cross section, mainly comprises a fibrous structure and can be manufactured by press quenching just after extrusion followed by aging. In the press quenching, press quenching under air-cooling advantageous in view of the dimensional accuracy or the cost can be adopted. Further, the shock absorbing material of the invention has excellent cracking resistance to a compressive load in the lateral direction as well as in the axial direction. The shock absorbing material of the invention is suitable as side members or bumper stays in the frame structures of automobiles.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dynamic quantity detection device that is formed by bonding a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element for detecting a dynamic quantity to a stand using a bonding layer includes: forming a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element used for correlating a dynamic quantity to be detected to an electric quantity and a plurality of processing circuit elements used for making up a circuit that processes the electric quantity; placing a bonding layer on a stand; placing the semiconductor chip on the bonding layer; bonding the semiconductor chip to the stand by sintering the bonding layer; and annealing the semiconductor chip in an atmosphere that contains hydrogen in order to cure a change, which is caused during the bonding of the semiconductor chip, in a characteristic of one of the processing circuit elements.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dynamic quantity detection device that is formed by bonding a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element for detecting a dynamic quantity to a stand using a bonding layer includes: forming a semiconductor chip that includes a detection element used for correlating a dynamic quantity to be detected to an electric quantity and a processing circuit element used for making up a circuit that processes the electric quantity; placing a bonding layer on a stand; placing the semiconductor chip on the bonding layer; and bonding the semiconductor chip to the stand by sintering the bonding layer at 400° C. or lower in order to suppress a change in a characteristic of the processing circuit element.

Abstract: A sensing element is formed on a silicon (Si) substrate and covered with a cap. The cap has a leg portion having a titanium layer and a gold layer formed in that order on the lower surface thereof. The silicon substrate has an Si bonding frame at a position corresponding to the leg portion. When bonding the Si bonding frame of the silicon substrate and the leg portion of the cap, the titanium layer deoxidizes a naturally oxidized silicon layer formed on the Si bonding frame, whereby the silicon substrate and the cap can be uniformly bonded together with an Au/Si eutectic portion interposed therebetween. In this case, the Au/Si eutectic portion includes a titanium oxide accompanying the deoxidization of the naturally oxidized silicon layer.

Abstract: An Al-Mg-Si based aluminum alloy extrusion having large strength, absorbable impact energy and resistance against compressing cracking, wherein the average size of Mg2Si precipitation in the [1 0 0] and [0 1 0] directions of the (1 0 0) plane inside grains is 20 nm or more, the distribution density of the Mg2Si precipitation in the [0 0 1] direction of the (1 0 0 ) plane is 100 or more per &mgr;m2, and the size of precipitations on grain boundaries is 1000 nm or less. Alternatively, in the Al-Mg-Si based aluminum alloy extrusion, a tensile strength obtained from a tensile test performed at a strain rate of 1000 per second is from 150 to 400 N/mm2 (both inclusive).

Abstract: A shock absorbing material comprising an Al—Mg—Si series aluminum alloy having high strength and showing excellent energy absorbing property when compressed in the axial direction of extrusion is obtained. The shock absorbing material of the invention has a hollow cross section, mainly comprises a fibrous structure and can be manufactured by press quenching just after extrusion followed by aging. In the press quenching, press quenching under air-cooling advantageous in view of the dimensional accuracy or the cost can be adopted. Further, the shock absorbing material of the invention has excellent cracking resistance to a compressive load in the lateral direction as well as in the axial direction. The shock absorbing material of the invention is suitable as side members or bumper stays in the frame structures of automobiles.