Abstract: When a film containing constituent elements of a target is formed on a substrate through a vapor deposition process using plasma with placing the substrate and the target to face to each other, the film is formed with surrounding the substrate with a wall surface having the constituent elements of the target adhering thereto, and applying a physical treatment to the wall surface to cause the components adhering to the wall surface to be released into the film formation atmosphere.

Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes applying a first radio frequency signal having a first phase to a cathode in a physical vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the cathode includes a sputtering target, applying a second radio frequency signal having a second phase to a chuck in the physical vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the chuck supports a substrate, and wherein a difference between the first and second phases creates a positive self bias direct current voltage on the substrate, and depositing a material from the sputtering target onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes applying a radio frequency signal to a cathode in a physical vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the cathode includes a sputtering target, electrically connecting a chuck in the physical vapor deposition apparatus to an impedance matching network, wherein the chuck supports a substrate, and wherein the impedance matching network includes at least one capacitor, and depositing material from the sputtering target onto the substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film is formed on a substrate by a sputtering technique at a film formation temperature higher than a Curie temperature. An electric field is formed across the piezoelectric film in a direction heading from a surface side of the piezoelectric film toward the substrate side before a temperature of the piezoelectric film having been formed falls to a temperature lower than the Curie temperature, polarization processing being caused to begin by the formation of the electric field across the piezoelectric film. The temperature of the piezoelectric film is allowed to fall to a temperature lower than the Curie temperature in the state in which the electric field is being formed.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric device, a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film, a second piezoelectric film, and a second electrode are formed in this order on a first electrode formed above a surface of the substrate, and an intermediate electrode is arranged between the first and second piezoelectric films. Each of the first and second piezoelectric films has a thickness of 10 micrometers or smaller, and has a first surface facing toward the substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface. At least one of the first and second surfaces has an arithmetic average surface roughness (Ra) of 0.5 micrometers or smaller.

Abstract: A phase difference compensation element comprises at least one birefringent laminate, which contains a light transmissive base material and “a” number, where a?2, of inorganic oblique incidence vacuum deposited films varying in direction of oblique evaporation and having been laminated on a surface of the light transmissive base material. The birefringent laminate satisfies the conditions represented by Formula (i) and Formula (ii): Re(1)<Re(a)??(i) Re(b?1)?Re(b)??(ii) where b is an arbitrary integer satisfying the condition 2?b?a wherein Re(i) represents the retardation value d·?n of the inorganic oblique incidence vacuum deposited film which has been formed at an i-th stage of film formation among the stages of forming the “a” number of the inorganic oblique incidence vacuum deposited films, respectively, where 1?i?a, d represents the film thickness, and ?n represents the birefringent index.

Abstract: In a step (A), a selectively removable resist layer or a selectively removable sacrifice layer is formed in a predetermined pattern in a protrusion non-forming region on a base plate. In a step (B), a pillar-shaped structure film is formed on a side of the base plate, on which side the resist layer or the sacrifice layer has been formed in the predetermined pattern. The pillar-shaped structure film contains a plurality of pillar-shaped bodies, each of which extends in a direction nonparallel with a base plate surface of the base plate. In a step (C), the resist layer or the sacrifice layer, and a region of the pillar-shaped structure film, which region is located on the resist layer or the sacrifice layer, are removed by use of a lift-off technique. At least one protruding region, which contains the pillar-shaped bodies, is thus formed.

Abstract: When a film containing constituent elements of a target is formed on a substrate through a vapor deposition process using plasma with placing the substrate and the target to face each other, a potential in a spatial range of at least 10 mm extending laterally from the outer circumference of the substrate is controlled to be equal to a potential on the substrate, and/or the substrate is surrounded with a wall surface having a potential controlled to be equal to the potential on the substrate.

Abstract: A film depositing apparatus comprises: a process chamber; a gas supply source for supplying the process chamber with gases necessary for film deposition; an evacuating unit for evacuating the interior of the process chamber; a target holder placed within the process chamber for holding a target; a substrate holder for holding a deposition substrate within the process chamber in a face-to-face relation with the target holder; a power supply unit for supplying electric power between the target holder and the substrate holder to generate a plasma within the process chamber; and an anode provided between the target holder and the substrate holder so as to surround the outer periphery of the side of the substrate holder that faces the target holder, the anode comprising at least one plate member for capturing ions in the plasma generated within the process chamber.

Abstract: Provided is a perovskite-type oxide film having a perovskite-type crystal structure and containing lead as a chief component, which, when subjected to Raman microspectroscopy at a plurality of points on a surface thereof so as to measure Raman spectra upon application of an electric field of 100 kV/cm and upon application of no electric field, has a mean of absolute values of peak shift amounts that is 2.2 cm?1 or less, with the peak shift amounts being found between Raman spectra in a range of 500 to 650 cm?1 measured upon application of an electric field of 100 kV/cm and Raman spectra in the range of 500 to 650 cm?1 measured upon application of no electric field. A production process and an evaluation method for such a film as well as a device using such a film are also provided.

Abstract: A multilayer body which includes a low-resistance metal layer having a low electrical resistance, excellent thermal resistance and low surface irregularity is provided. The multilayer body includes a substrate, and a low-resistance metal layer which is formed on the substrate and has a single-layer structure or a multilayer structure of two or more sublayers. The low-resistance metal layer includes a gold-containing layer or sublayer composed of gold and another metal.

Abstract: An inorganic film formed of an inorganic material on a metal film having a surface including surface-oxidized areas. The surface-oxidized areas are surface oxidized to different degrees. For example, the surface-oxidized areas are one or more lowly-surface-oxidized areas and one or more highly-surface-oxidized areas. The inorganic film includes regions which are respectively formed on the surface-oxidized areas, and the regions have different crystal structures according to the different degrees of surface oxidation. For example, a patterned inorganic film constituted by one or more protruding portions arranged on one or more lowly-surface-oxidized areas of the surface of the metal film can be produced by removing the portions of the inorganic film formed on highly-surface-oxidized areas.

Abstract: A film depositing apparatus comprises: a process chamber; a target holder provided in the process chamber for holding a target; a substrate holder for supporting a deposition substrate such that the deposition substrate faces the target holder in the process chamber; a power supply for supplying electric power between the target holder and the substrate holder to generate plasma in the process chamber; and an anode provided between the target holder and the substrate holder for capturing ions and/or electrons in the plasma being generated within the process chamber, wherein the anode includes: a cylindrical member provided so as to surround an outer periphery of a side of the substrate holder that faces the target holder; and at least one annular plate member attached to an inside wall of the cylindrical member, the plate member having a central opening larger than a surface of the deposition substrate.

Abstract: A process for producing a piezoelectric device constituted by a first electrode, at least one second electrode, and a piezoelectric film sandwiched between the first electrode and the at least one second electrode so that an electric field can be applied to the piezoelectric film. First, a seed layer of a material containing at least one element is formed on a substrate, and then the first electrode is formed on the seed layer. Next, the at least one element is diffused through the first electrode so that the at least one element precipitates on a surface of the first electrode on the opposite side to the seed layer, and then the piezoelectric film is formed on the first electrode.

Abstract: In a step (A), a selectively removable resist layer or a selectively removable sacrifice layer is formed in a predetermined pattern in a protrusion non-forming region on a base plate. In a step (B), a pillar-shaped structure film is formed on a side of the base plate, on which side the resist layer or the sacrifice layer has been formed in the predetermined pattern. The pillar-shaped structure film contains a plurality of pillar-shaped bodies, each of which extends in a direction nonparallel with a base plate surface of the base plate. In a step (C), the resist layer or the sacrifice layer, and a region of the pillar-shaped structure film, which region is located on the resist layer or the sacrifice layer, are removed by use of a lift-off technique. At least one protruding region, which contains the pillar-shaped bodies, is thus formed.

Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises a piezoelectric body and electrodes for applying an electric field in a predetermined direction across the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body contains an inorganic compound polycrystal, which contains first ferroelectric substance crystals having orientational characteristics at the time free from electric field application and has characteristics such that, with application of at least a predetermined electric field E1, at least part of the first crystals undergoes phase transition to second ferroelectric substance crystals of a crystal system different from the crystal system of the first crystals. The piezoelectric device is actuated under conditions such that a minimum applied electric field Emin and a maximum applied electric field Emax satisfy Emin<E1<Emax.

Abstract: When forming a piezoelectric film of a Pb containing perovskite-type oxide on a substrate by sputtering, forming the film under a film forming condition in which a film forming temperature Ts(° C.) and a surface potential Vsub of the substrate satisfy Formulae (1) and (2) below respectively. 400=Ts (° C.

Abstract: A piezoelectric film is formed on a substrate by a sputtering technique at a film formation temperature higher than a Curie temperature. An electric field is formed across the piezoelectric film in a direction heading from a surface side of the piezoelectric film toward the substrate side before a temperature of the piezoelectric film having been formed falls to a temperature lower than the Curie temperature, polarization processing being caused to begin by the formation of the electric field across the piezoelectric film. The temperature of the piezoelectric film is allowed to fall to a temperature lower than the Curie temperature in the state in which the electric field is being formed.

Abstract: A phase difference compensation element comprises at least one birefringent laminate, which contains a light transmissive base material and “a” number, where a?2, of inorganic oblique incidence vacuum deposited films varying in direction of oblique evaporation and having been laminated on a surface of the light transmissive base material. The birefringent laminate satisfies the conditions represented by Formula (i) and Formula (ii): Re(1)<Re(a)??(i) Re(b?1)?Re(b)??(ii) where b is an arbitrary integer satisfying the condition 2?b?a wherein Re(i) represents the retardation value d·?n of the inorganic oblique incidence vacuum deposited film which has been formed at an i-th stage of film formation among the stages of forming the “a” number of the inorganic oblique incidence vacuum deposited films, respectively, where 1?i?a, d represents the film thickness, and ?n represents the birefringent index.

Abstract: A liquid ejection device includes a liquid ejection member including a pressurized liquid chamber and a liquid ejection orifice which is in fluid communication with the pressurized liquid chamber to eject a liquid in the pressurized liquid chamber to the outside. A piezoelectric device is formed on the pressurized liquid chamber via a vibrating diaphragm. The piezoelectric device includes a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film and an upper electrode, which are disposed sequentially. The piezoelectric film is a thin-film piezoelectric material having a Curie point of 200° C. or more. The liquid ejection device further includes a heating element for heating a material, which has a melting point of not less than 150° C. and lower than the Curie point of the piezoelectric film, charged in the pressurized liquid chamber to a temperature not less than the melting point of the material.