Abstract: An accumulation device is provided with a loading unit, a tensioning unit, an accumulation unit, and unloading unit and a controller. The tensioning unit comprises multiple fixed rollers capable of rolling, and movable rollers capable of rolling and arranged so as to be capable of moving with respect to the fixed rollers. Substrates are conveyed so as to move back and forth alternately between the fixed rollers and the movable rollers in a wrapped state, and a prescribed tensile force is applied to the substrates by a force acting on the moveable rollers in the direction away from the fixed rollers. The controller performs control so as to maintain the positions of the movable rollers in the tensioning unit constant.

Abstract: An accumulation device is provided with a first roller group which comprises multiple first rollers that can rotate, and a second roller group which comprises multiple second rollers that can rotate and that can move in the direction towards or away from the first roller group. Substrates are conveyed alternately between the first rollers and the second rollers so as to go back and forth in a wound state, and the substrates are accumulated by relative movement of the first roller group and the second roller group in the direction away from each other. The second rollers are supported by a support member which is capable of moving relative to the first roller group, and are independently biased in the direction away from the first roller group by elastic members which are provided on the support member corresponding to each of the second rollers.

Abstract: An epitaxial substrate includes a single-crystal substrate of silicon carbide, and an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide disposed on the single-crystal substrate. The epitaxial layer includes a first epitaxial layer disposed on the single-crystal substrate, a second epitaxial layer disposed on the first epitaxial layer, and a third epitaxial layer disposed on the second epitaxial layer. The first epitaxial layer has a basal-plane-dislocation conversion rate of less than 95%. The second epitaxial layer has a basal-plane-dislocation conversion rate of more than 98%.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an n-type drift layer formed on a semiconductor substrate having an off-angle, plurality of p-type pillar regions formed in the drift layer, and a surface electrode formed on the drift layer including the plurality of p-type pillar regions. A plurality of withstand voltage holding structures which are p-type semiconductor regions are formed in a surface layer of the drift layer including the plurality of p-type pillar regions to surround an active region. Each of the plurality of p-type pillar regions has a linear shape extending in a direction of the off-angle of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the plurality of withstand voltage holding structures has a frame-like shape including sides extending in parallel with the plurality of p-type pillar regions and sides perpendicular to the plurality of p-type pillar regions in a planar view.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a pixel chip where a pixel unit and a vertical selecting unit are arranged, the pixel unit including plural pixels that are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to generate and output imaging signals; a transmission chip where at least a power source unit and a transmission unit are arranged; plural capacitative chips, each capacitative chip having capacitance functioning as a bypass condenser for a power source in the power source unit; and plural connecting portions configured to electrically connect the pixel chip, the transmission chip, and the capacitative chip respectively to another chip. The transmission chip is layered and connected at a back surface side of the pixel chip. The capacitative chips are layered and connected at a back surface side of the transmission chip. The connecting portions are arranged so as to overlap one another.

Abstract: A metal-pipe use support system (10a) includes: a metal pipe information reception unit (11a) for receiving identification data for each of a plurality of metal pipes; a use condition reception unit (12a) for receiving use condition data about a condition under which a metal pipe is to be used; a pipe-specific data acquisition unit (13a) for accessing a data recording unit (2) storing pipe-specific data indicative of a property of each metal pipe and corresponding identification data in an associated manner and acquiring the pipe-specific data associated with the received identification data; a pipe determination unit (14a) for determining a metal pipe to be used from among the plurality of metal pipes based on the pipe-specific data and the use condition data; and an output unit (15a) for outputting information relating to the determined metal pipe.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first chip including a light receiving unit, and a read circuit; a second chip including a timing control circuit, an A/D conversion circuit, and a cable transmission circuit; and a connection unit configured to connect the first and the second chips. The read circuit includes a column read circuit and a horizontal selection circuit, and a vertical selection circuit. The connection unit of the first chip is provided in a first area along a side of the rectangular light receiving unit, and in a second area adjacent to the column read circuit, the horizontal selection circuit, and the vertical selection circuit. The connection unit of the second chip is provided in a third area around the timing control circuit, the A/D conversion circuit, and the cable transmission circuit and in a fourth area adjacent to the timing control circuit and the A/D conversion circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: pixels; first transfer lines configured to transfer imaging signals of shared pixels that are present in a plurality of different rows and share a single column transfer line for each predetermined number of pixels adjacent in a row direction and; a constant current source configured to transfer the imaging signals; output units configured to externally output the imaging signals; and a control unit configured to simultaneously and externally outputs, by simultaneously driving the plurality of shared pixels present in a same single column transfer line in the plurality of different rows, each of the plurality of imaging signals, which are output from the shared pixels and are present in the same column in the plurality of different rows, and externally output all of the imaging signals of the shared pixels present in the plurality of different rows same number of times as the predetermined number.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a SiC epitaxial wafer includes: a first step of, by supplying a Si supply gas and a C supply gas, performing a first epitaxial growth on a SiC bulk substrate with a 4H—SiC(0001) having an off-angle of less than 5° as a main surface at a first temperature of 1480° C. or higher and 1530° C. or lower; a second step of stopping the supply of the Si supply gas and the C supply gas and increasing a temperature of the SiC bulk substrate from the first temperature to a second temperature; and a third step of, by supplying the Si supply gas and the C supply gas, performing a second epitaxial growth on the SiC bulk substrate having the temperature increased in the second step at the second temperature.

Abstract: An accumulation device is provided with a loading unit, a tensioning unit, an accumulation unit, and unloading unit and a controller. The tensioning unit comprises multiple fixed rollers capable of rolling, and movable rollers capable of rolling and arranged so as to be capable of moving with respect to the fixed rollers. Substrates are conveyed so as to move back and forth alternately between the fixed rollers and the movable rollers in a wrapped state, and a prescribed tensile force is applied to the substrates by a force acting on the moveable rollers in the direction away from the fixed rollers. The controller performs control so as to maintain the positions of the movable rollers in the tensioning unit constant.

Abstract: An accumulation device is provided with a first roller group which comprises multiple first rollers that can rotate, and a second roller group which comprises multiple second rollers that can rotate and that can move in the direction towards or away from the first roller group. Substrates are conveyed alternately between the first rollers and the second rollers so as to go back and forth in a wound state, and the substrates are accumulated by relative movement of the first roller group and the second roller group in the direction away from each other. The second rollers are supported by a support member which is capable of moving relative to the first roller group, and are independently biased in the direction away from the first roller group by elastic members which are provided on the support member corresponding to each of the second rollers.

Abstract: A single-crystal 4H-SiC substrate includes a 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate; and an epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer on the 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate and having recesses. The recesses have a diameter no smaller than 2 ?m and no larger than 20 ?m. The recesses have a depth no smaller than 0.01 ?m and no larger than 0.1 ?m. A single-crystal 4H-SiC substrate also includes a 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate; and an epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer on the 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate and having recesses. The density of the recesses in the epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer is at least 10/cm2, and the epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer has a defect density no larger than 2/cm2.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: unit pixels; first transfer lines; a constant current source; a reset noise removal unit; a second transfer line; and a control unit configured to drive output units of the unit pixels respectively positioned in different rows at a same time in at least a part of a period, to drive a charge transfer unit of the unit pixel positioned in one row and perform a reset noise removal operation, then to transfer the signal to the second transfer line while keeping an output unit of the unit pixel driven, and to drive a charge transfer unit of the unit pixel positioned in another row and perform the reset noise removal operation, in an operation period in which an output unit of the unit pixel positioned in the one row transfers the signal to the second transfer line.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: unit pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form, each unit pixel having photoelectric converters for converting received light into imaging signals; and filters having different transmission spectra and disposed on light receiving surfaces of the photoelectric converters. The image sensor is configured to: switch between signal processing units with respect to transfer destination of the imaging signals transferred from second transfer lines to a switching unit, based on types of the filters; and output the imaging signals from a single row of the unit pixels to the sample-and-hold units, in a predetermined number of times during one horizontal scanning period by dividing the unit pixels into pixel units each time the imaging signals are output so as to output the imaging signals from the photoelectric converters having the light receiving surfaces on which the filters of different types are disposed in each pixel unit.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single-crystal 4H—SiC substrate includes preparing a 4H—SiC bulk single-crystal substrate having a flat surface, and growing an epitaxial first single-crystal 4H—SiC layer having recesses on the 4H—SiC bulk single-crystal substrate to a thickness X, measured in micrometers (?m). The recesses have a diameter Y, measured in micrometers, no smaller than 0.2*X and no larger than 2*X. In addition, the recesses have a depth Z, when measured in micrometers, no smaller than (0.95*X+0.5*10?3), and no larger than 10*X*10?3.

Abstract: A metal-pipe use support system (10a) includes: a metal pipe information reception unit (11a) for receiving identification data for each of a plurality of metal pipes; a use condition reception unit (12a) for receiving use condition data about a condition under which a metal pipe is to be used; a pipe-specific data acquisition unit (13a) for accessing a data recording unit (2) storing pipe-specific data indicative of a property of each metal pipe and corresponding identification data in an associated manner and acquiring the pipe-specific data associated with the received identification data; a pipe determination unit (14a) for determining a metal pipe to be used from among the plurality of metal pipes based on the pipe-specific data and the use condition data; and an output unit (15a) for outputting information relating to the determined metal pipe.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a pixel unit in which pixels are disposed in a matrix; and an A/D conversion unit that is disposed for every columns of the pixels and counts a count clock for only a period according to a magnitude of the pixel signal. The A/D conversion unit includes: counter units that is provided in one of the first substrate and the second substrate and generates n-bit count signals; memory units that is provided in the other of the first substrate and the second substrate and holds the count signals and outputs the held count signals to horizontal signal transfer lines; and a connection unit that connects each counter unit to a corresponding one of the memory units and simultaneously transfer the count signals from at least two counter units to at least two memory units.

Abstract: A single-crystal 4H-SiC substrate includes a 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate; and an epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer on the 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate and having recesses. The recesses have a diameter no smaller than 2 ?m and no larger than 20 ?m. The recesses have a depth no smaller than 0.01 ?m and no larger than 0.1 ?m. A single-crystal 4H-SiC substrate also includes a 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate; and an epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer on the 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate and having recesses. The density of the recesses in the epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer is at least 10/cm2, and the epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer has a defect density no larger than 2/cm2.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single-crystal 4H-SiC substrate includes preparing a 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate having a flat surface, and growing an epitaxial first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer having recesses on the 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate to a thickness X, measured in micrometers (?m). The recesses have a diameter Y, measured in micrometers, no smaller than 0.2*X and no larger than 2*X. In addition, the recesses have a depth Z, when measured in micrometers, no smaller than (0.95*X+0.5*10?3), and no larger than 10*X*10?3.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single-crystal 4H-SiC substrate includes: preparing a flat 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate; and epitaxially growing a first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer having recesses on the 4H-SiC bulk single-crystal substrate, wherein the first single-crystal 4H-SiC layer has a thickness of X (?m), the recesses have a diameter Y (?m) no smaller than 0.2*X (?m) and no larger than 2*X (?m), and a depth of Z (nm) no smaller than (0.95*X (?m)+0.5 (nm)) and no larger than 10*X (?m).