Abstract: An etching method of selectively etching a first region formed of silicon oxide with respect to a second region formed of silicon nitride includes: a process (a) and a process (b). In the process (a), a target object is exposed to plasma of a fluorocarbon gas and a thickness of a protective film on the second region is larger than a thickness of a protective film formed on the first region. In the process (b), the first region is etched by plasma of a fluorocarbon gas. In the process (a), a temperature of the target object is set to 60° C. or more to 250° C. or less.

Abstract: The invention provides an element including a semiconductor substrate and an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the electrode being a sintered product of a composition for an electrode that includes phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles, glass particles and a dispersing medium, and the electrode includes a line-shaped electrode having an aspect ratio, which is defined as electrode short length:electrode height, of from 2:1 to 250:1.

Abstract: A paste composition for an electrode, the paste composition comprising: phosphorous-containing copper alloy particles in which the content of phosphorous is from 6% by mass to 8% by mass; glass particles; a solvent; and a resin.

Abstract: A recommended tire selection system 100 comprises a driving condition obtaining unit 101 that obtains a driving condition of a vehicle on which the recommended tire is loaded, a retread necessity obtaining unit 103 that obtains the retread necessity to replace the tread; a performance decision unit 105 that decides a rolling resistance and a wear resistance of the recommended tire based on the obtained driving condition, and decides a casing durability based on the obtained retread necessity; and a selection unit 107 that selects a recommended tire that is a combination of a tread and a casing, fulfilling the decided rolling resistance, wear resistance, and casing durability.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an objective optical section including a first barrel; an image pickup optical section including a solid image pickup device, an optical member forming an optical image through the objective optical section on an image pickup surface of the solid image pickup device, and a second barrel housing the optical member and the solid image pickup device, the second barrel fixed to the first barrel after positional adjustment in an axial direction relative to the first barrel; a holding member formed of material having a linear expansion coefficient lower than linear expansion coefficients of the first and second barrels, and fixed to outer surfaces of the first and second barrels; a first adhesive that bonds the first barrel and the second barrel; and a second adhesive having a bonding strength higher than that of the first adhesive, which bonds the holding member to the first and second barrels.

Abstract: An etching method of selectively etching a first region formed of silicon oxide with respect to a second region formed of silicon nitride includes: a process (a) and a process (b). In the process (a), a target object is exposed to plasma of a fluorocarbon gas and a thickness of a protective film on the second region is larger than a thickness of a protective film formed on the first region. In the process (b), the first region is etched by plasma of a fluorocarbon gas. In the process (a), a temperature of the target object is set to 60° C. or more to 250° C. or less.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having Cu wiring including a basic crystal structure which can reduce surface voids, and an inspecting technique for the semiconductor device. In the semiconductor device, surface voids can be reduced down to 1/10 or less of a current practical level by specifying a barrier layer and a seed layer and setting a proportion (frequency) of occupation of a coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundary having a grain boundary Sigma value 27 or less to all crystal grain boundaries of a Cu wiring to 60% or higher. Alternatively, a similar effect of surface void reduction can be obtained by specifying a barrier layer and a seed layer and setting a proportion (frequency) of occupation of a coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundary having a grain boundary Sigma value 3 to all crystal grain boundaries of a Cu wiring to 40% or higher.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having Cu wiring including a basic crystal structure which can reduce surface voids, and an inspecting technique for the semiconductor device. In the semiconductor device, surface voids can be reduced down to 1/10 or less of a current practical level by specifying a barrier layer and a seed layer and setting a proportion (frequency) of occupation of a coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundary having a grain boundary Sigma value 27 or less to all crystal grain boundaries of a Cu wiring to 60% or higher. Alternatively, a similar effect of surface void reduction can be obtained by specifying a barrier layer and a seed layer and setting a proportion (frequency) of occupation of a coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundary having a grain boundary Sigma value 3 to all crystal grain boundaries of a Cu wiring to 40% or higher.

Abstract: Provided is a conductive paste which contains an inexpensive metal, such as copper or aluminum, as an electrode wiring material and has oxidation resistance that enables the paste to withstand a high-temperature process performed in an oxidizing atmosphere and an electronic part equipped with electrode wiring formed from the paste. The electronic part in accordance with the present invention is equipped with electrode wiring that comprises a conductive glass phase containing transition metals and phosphorus, metal particles, and none of the substances prohibited by the RoHS directive. The electronic part is characterized in that each of the transition metals contained in the conductive glass phase is present in the state of having a plurality of oxidation numbers and that the proportion of the atoms which have the largest oxidation number for each transition metal satisfies a given relationship.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component using a Cu-based conductive material that can suppress oxidization even in a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere and that can suppress an increase in an electrical resistance. In an electronic component having an electrode or a wiring, a ternary alloy made from three elements consisting of Cu, Al, and Co is used as a Cu-based wiring material that can prevent oxidization of the electrode or the wiring. Specifically, part or the whole of the electrode or the wiring has a chemical composition in which an Al content is 10 at % to 25 at %, a Co content is 5 at % to 20 at %, and the balance is composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities, and the chemical composition represents a ternary alloy in which two phases of a Cu solid solution formed by Al and Co being dissolved into Cu and a CoAl intermetallic compound coexist together.

Abstract: An element of the present invention includes a silicon substrate; an electrode which is provided on the silicon substrate and which is a sintered product of a paste composition for an electrode containing a phosphorus-containing copper alloy particle, a glass particle, a solvent and a resin; and a solder layer containing a flux, which is provided on the electrode.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes an upper electrode arranged at a processing chamber and including a plurality of gas supplying zones, a branch pipe including a plurality of branch parts, an addition pipe connected to at least one of the branch parts, and a plurality of gas pipes that connect the branch parts to the gas supplying zones. The upper electrode supplies a processing gas including a main gas to the processing chamber via the gas supplying zones. The branch pipe divides the processing gas according to a predetermined flow rate ratio and supplies the divided processing gas to the gas supplying zones. The addition pipe adds an adjustment gas. A gas flow path of the gas pipe connected to the branch part to which the addition pipe is connected includes a bending portion for preventing a gas concentration variation according to an adjustment gas-to-main gas molecular weight ratio.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an objective optical section including a first barrel; an image pickup optical section including a solid image pickup device, an optical member forming an optical image through the objective optical section on an image pickup surface of the solid image pickup device, and a second barrel housing the optical member and the solid image pickup device, the second barrel fixed to the first barrel after positional adjustment in an axial direction relative to the first barrel; a holding member formed of material having a linear expansion coefficient lower than linear expansion coefficients of the first and second barrels, and fixed to outer surfaces of the first and second barrels; a first adhesive that bonds the first barrel and the second barrel; and a second adhesive having a bonding strength higher than that of the first adhesive, which bonds the holding member to the first and second barrels.

Abstract: A recommended tire selection system 100 comprises a driving condition obtaining unit 101 that obtains a driving condition of a vehicle on which the recommended tire is loaded, a retread necessity obtaining unit 103 that obtains the retread necessity to replace the tread; a performance decision unit 105 that decides a rolling resistance and a wear resistance of the recommended tire based on the obtained driving condition, and decides a casing durability based on the obtained retread necessity; and a selection unit 107 that selects a recommended tire that is a combination of a tread and a casing, fulfilling the decided rolling resistance, wear resistance, and casing durability.

Abstract: An endoscope of the present invention includes a cover member, a groove formed on an outer circumferential face of the cover member, holes which are located at least two places in a circumferential direction of the groove and communicate with the interior of the cover member, a bending portion and a loop-shaped puller wire wound around the groove so as to enter the groove from within the cover member through the hole at one end in the cover member and enter the cover member from the groove through the hole at the other end.

Abstract: The invention provides an element including a semiconductor substrate and an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the electrode being a sintered product of a composition for an electrode that includes phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles, glass particles and a dispersing medium, and the electrode includes a line-shaped electrode having an aspect ratio, which is defined as electrode short length:electrode height, of from 2:1 to 250:1.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having an improved whisker resistance in an exterior plating film is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a tab with a semiconductor chip fixed thereto, plural inner leads, plural outer leads formed integrally with the inner leads, a plurality of wires for coupling electrode pads of the semiconductor chip and the inner leads with each other, and a sealing body for sealing the semiconductor chip. The outer leads project from the sealing body and an exterior plating film, which is a lead-free plating film, is formed on a surface of each of the outer leads.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component using a Cu-based conductive material that can suppress oxidization even in a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere and that can suppress an increase in an electrical resistance. In an electronic component having an electrode or a wiring, a ternary alloy made from three elements consisting of Cu, Al, and Co is used as a Cu-based wiring material that can prevent oxidization of the electrode or the wiring. Specifically, part or the whole of the electrode or the wiring has a chemical composition in which an Al content is 10 at % to 25 at %, a Co content is 5 at % to 20 at %, and the balance is composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities, and the chemical composition represents a ternary alloy in which two phases of a Cu solid solution formed by Al and Co being dissolved into Cu and a CoAl intermetallic compound coexist together.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paste composition for an electrode, the paste composition including phosphorus-tin-containing copper alloy particles, glass particles, a solvent and a resin. The present invention also provides a photovoltaic cell element having an electrode formed from the paste composition, and a photovoltaic cell.